Verbena urticifolia L.
White vervain
White vervain is native to North America.
Plants: 1–3′ (40–101 cm) tall, with a main stem that is hairy, hollow, light green, and roughly square in cross-section.
Leaves: Opposite and unlobed, deeply veined, with irregular teeth. They are up to 6 ⨉ 2″ (15 ⨉ 5 cm), varying from lance-shaped (lanceolate) to oval (ovate), on stems (petioles) up to 2″ (5 cm) long.
Flowers: The flowering spikes are the most unique feature of these plants: multiply branched, up to 10″ (25 cm) long and very narrow, disorderly looking, with tiny white flowers less than ⅛″ (3.2 mm) around. Only a few flowers appear at a time, and they are small enough so that the spikes are mostly green. The slow progression of flowers along the flower stalks reminds me of slow-motion sparklers.
Fruits: Flowers are replaced by four nutlets that are roughly ovoid and flattened.
Habitats: Pastures, disturbed areas, prairies, often in partial shade.
Online References:
7/12/2016 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, 
7/17/2017 · Oak Hill, Littleton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 4″ (13 × 10 cm) 
8/6/2013 · Dunstable Rural Land Trust, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 3½ × 4½″ (8.9 × 11 cm) 
7/12/2016 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, 
8/6/2013 · Dunstable Rural Land Trust, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 2½ × 3½″ (6.4 × 9.6 cm) 
8/21/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm) 
7/17/2017 · Oak Hill, Littleton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm) 
8/2/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 6″ (21 × 14 cm) 
7/17/2017 · Oak Hill, Littleton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm) 
8/21/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 15 × 10″ (39 × 26 cm) 
7/12/2016 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, 
7/12/2016 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, 
8/6/2013 · Dunstable Rural Land Trust, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (28 × 18 cm) 
8/2/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4½″ (14 × 11 cm) 
7/17/2017 · Oak Hill, Littleton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm) 
8/6/2013 · Dunstable Rural Land Trust, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Asteridae | A large class that encompasses asters |
| Order | Lamiales | Aromatic herbs and shrubs, including lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, ash, teak, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, mint, basil, and rosemary |
| Family | Verbenaceae | Verbena (vervain) family, about 3,000 species |
| Genus | Verbena | From the word meaning “vervain” |
| Species | urticifolia | Leaves resemble those of the nettle family (Urticaceae) |
Verbena urticifolia description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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