Appearance:  Pitcher Sage is a large, fuzzy shrub, from 2 to 6 feet tall, with many brittle branches.  Its lower leaves are 2 to 4 inches long and dark green, whereas the upper leaves are a distinctly lighter green, even chartreuse, and smaller.  The white to light pink to lavender hued flowers are tube-shaped, with an obstinately protruding bottom lip, and  tend to crown predominantly one side of the top of the stem.  The calyx is puffy, strongly veined, deep mauve to purple, and transforms into an inflated inch-long fruit with small fuzzy black seeds.  The calyxes and buds at the top of the stem are completely covered in thick white fuzz.  Its crushed foliage exudes a strong, Sagelike odor.

Habitat:  Found in the foothills and canyons of the California coastal ranges, from Ojai north to Sonoma, Napa, and Lake counties.  There are slso some hearty but more random stands in the more interior foothills—the Sierras, and the Santa Monica, San Gabriel, Santa Ana, and Laguna Mountains.  Pitcher Sage is rarely found above 3,000 feet.

Gathering:  Collect the clean flowering or fruiting tops and hang dry.

Medicinal Properties:  Pitcher Sage is a useful uterine tonic, most notably for the low-level but constant pelvic irritability that may follow menses.  For this purpose, a standard infusion should be taken three or four times a day beginning the third day of menses.  Herbologist Michael Moore has seen it aid in easing the acute pain of occasional inflammatory episodes that benign prostatic hypertrophy causes in men.
     Generally, this species works as an astringent for the intestinal tract and lungs for problems of oversecretions and inflammations, including gastritis and hemorrhoids.  Pitcher Sage can be used to make a primitive sunscreen, most likely effective due to the plant's several active antioxidants.  Though its protection rating is unknown, it seems to work well (see recipes).
     The Miwok employed a decoction of leaves for easing headache, fever, and ague.
     As a tasty tea and extra therapeutic lift, Pitcher Sage combines well upon the palate with Lemon Balm, Lemon Mint, Crimson Sage, or Spearmint.