[V. bonariensissensu Hillebr., non L.]
(nat) Owi, of, ha‘uoi (Ni‘ihau), ha'ud- wT (Ni‘ihau)
Erect or ascending perennial herbs 4-20 dm tall, sometimes somewhat woody toward base; stems few to many-branched, glabrous or sparsely strigillose. Leaves decussate, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 3-10 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide, both surfaces finely scaberulous, margins coarsely serrate, apex acute, base attenuate. Flowers numerous in several slender, terminal spikes 3-12 cm long, sparsely short-pilose throughout, bracts subulate, shorter than to as long as the calyx; calyx sometimes purple, 1.5-2.3 mm long, short-pilose; corolla usually blue, occasionally pale blue, lavender, or purple, ca. 2-3 mm long. [2n = 28, 56.] Native from Mexico through Central America to South America, widely naturalized; in Hawai‘i the most common naturalized Verbena occurring in dry to wet, disturbed habitats, 10-2,280 m, on Midway Atoll and all of the main islands. First collected in 1837, specific locality unknown (Barclay s.n., BM).—Plate 194.
Verbena litoralis has been used medicinally in Hawaii especially as a mash applied to cuts and bruises and also to sprained and fractured areas. Moldenke (1962b, 1968) lists V brasiliensis Veil, as being recorded on 0‘ahu based on 2 collections, Hosaka 1354 and Heller 2046. The collections actually represent V. litoralis and the BISH sheet of Heller 2046 was correctly identified by Moldenke as such in 1961. The collection was not made on 0‘ahu but is from Kaua‘i. According to Moldenke (1962c, 1968) Verbena brasiliensis is very closely related to V. litoralis and differs only in the inflorescence being densely flowered and the rachis pubescent. It probably should be reduced to synonymy of V litoralis.