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Wild Comfrey - Cynoglossum virginianum


Family: Boraginaceae – Borage family Genus Common Name: Cynoglossum - hound's tongue Native Status: Native
Cynoglossum virginianum - Wild Comfrey. Woodland wildflower of late spring. There are eight species in the Cynoglossum genus found in the US, three of which are native to North America - C. grande (CA, OR, WA), C. occidentale (CA, OR), and this species, C. virginianum, with one of the two varieties of the species found in most of the eastern half of the U.S. - 34 states.

Wild Comfrey is at risk in 9 states:
  • Connecticut: Special Concern
  • Florida: Endangered
  • Maine: Endangered
  • New Hampshire: Endangered
  • New Jersey: Endangered
  • New York: Endangered
  • Ohio: Presumed Extirpated
  • Pennsylvania: extirpated
  • Vermont: Threatened

Distribution of Cynoglossum virginianum 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.

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Site: Blue Hole Area, Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, GA Date: 2010-April-18Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson
Some say that the leaf of Cynoglossum looks like a hounds tongue, giving the genus its name.
Cynoglossum virginianum

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


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