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lizard's tail
Scientific Name: Saururus cernuus
Family: Saururaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Forb/herb
Duration: Perennial
Other Names: CT (lizard's tail), RI (lizard's-tail)
Lizard's Tail (Saururus cernuus)
Lizard's Tail, also known as water-dragon, is a fascinating plant named for its distinctive flower stalk, which resembles a lizard's tail. The common name and the genus name, from the Greek sauros (lizard) and oura (tail), depict the shape of the drooping flower cluster.
Considerations for Pets
- All parts of the plant produce nutlets when flowers go to seed.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Saururus cernuus L.
- Common Names: Lizard's Tail, water-dragon
- Family: Saururaceae (lizard's-tail family)
Distribution and Habitat
- Lizard's Tail is commonly found along the edges of ponds, in swamps, and in marshes.
- It is frequently found lining the banks of shaded Texas ponds.
- The Lizard Tail Swamp Preserve is located within New Jersey's Delaware Bayshores region.
Morphological Characteristics
- Lizard's Tail is a rhizomatous, deciduous, marginal aquatic perennial.
- It typically grows to 2-4 feet tall in the wild, but is commonly found growing to one to two feet tall.
- The plant has a hairy, erect stem with few or no branches and can grow up to 4 feet tall.
- Leaves are on a short petiole.
- The flower stalk is composed of many tiny white flowers that make up a raceme.
- Flower spikes are 6 to 8 inches long.
- When the flowers go to seed, the curving spike is covered with grayish nutlets.
Ecological Role
- It is considered a weed in some contexts, particularly as a perennial with rhizomes that occurs along the edges of ponds or in swamps and marshes.
Additional Information
- Lizard's Tail is hardy to zone (UK) 5.
- It flowers from July to August.
- The flowers have a citrus-like fragrance.