Wildflowers of the United States
Home Journal Index Photo Albums News About Privacy

Houndstongue, Hound's Tongue, Gypsyflower - Cynoglossum officinale


Family: Boraginaceae – Borage family Genus Common Name: Cynoglossum - hound's tongue Native Status: Introduced
Cynoglossum officinale - Houndstongue, Hound's Tongue, Gypsyflower. c.Found in all but 7 states (and most of Canada), Cynoglossum officinale is listed as a noxious weed in Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
Check here for more information about Cynoglossum officinale.
Distribution of Cynoglossum officinale in the United States and Canada:
USDA Plants Distribution Map
Blue=Native; Grey=Introduced

Map from USDA Plants Database:
USDA, NRCS. 2009. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 09 Sep 2010). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Search Our Database of Species
Enter any portion of the Scientific
or Common Name (or both)
Scientific name:
Common name:

Example: Enter "lob" in the common name field and you'll get all our species that have "lobelia" in the common name, as well as "sharp-lobed hepatica".




Follow on Twitter
Follow USWildflowers on Twitter




Site: Payette River Valley, Boise County, ID Date: 2010-June-17Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson
Red top purple flowers borne in clusters
Cynoglossum officinale
Site: Payette River Valley, Boise County, ID Date: 2010-June-17Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
Terminal raceme of Houndstongue / Gypsyflower blossoms
Click on the photo for a larger image
Cynoglossum officinale
Site: Payette River Valley, Boise County, ID Date: 2010-June-17Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
Many leaves of Cynoglossum officinale are petioled but some, like those shown here, are not. In my limited observation, those from whose axils flowers or stems grow are not petioled; leaves without flower or stems forming in the axils have petioles. This may also be a function of petioled lower leaves versus non-petioled upper leaves.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Cynoglossum officinale
Site: Payette River Valley, Boise County, ID Date: 2010-June-17Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
Cynoglossum officinale may grow to 4 feet or taller, with many stems terminated with blossom clusters forming forming on stems growing out of the leaf axils along the main stem. Many of the lower leaves are carried on winged petioles.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Cynoglossum officinale

Looking for Wildflowers for a specific state? Check here:



All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2010
Photographs Copyrighted by the named photographer


Hosted at Soph, the Clever Crow, a Williamson Web World collaboration