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Lobelia spicata - (image 1 of 6)

Taxonomy

Family: Lobeliaceae

Habitat

Prairies, including low prairies, prairie fens, sand prairies.

Associates

Aster ericoides, Bromus kalmii, Comandra umbellata, Dodecatheon meadia, Equisetum laevigatum, Euphorbia corollata, Heuchera richardsonii, Hypoxis hirsuta, Lespedeza capitata, Lithospermum canescens, Panicum oligosanthes scribnerianum, Panicum virgatum, Pedicularis canadensis, Petalostemum purpureum, Phlox pilosa fulgida, Potentilla arguta, Rudbeckia hirta, Silphium intergrifolia deamii, Silphium terebinthinaceum, Sisyrinchium albidum.

Distribution

Morphology

Herbaceous perennial to 3' high. Stem leaves lanceolate to elliptic. Stems glabrous. Flowers pale blue to almost white, less than 15mm long; sepals up to 5mm long; hypanthium campanulate or obconic, not inflated; the inflorescence unbranched. Fruit a capsule.

Notes

Flowers late May to late August.

Wetland indicator: Facultative

Not usually showy individually but large colonies of plants can stand out in the prairie.  

Bibliography

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

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