Taxonomy
Family: Onagraceae
Habitat
Disturbed open areas.
Associates
Distribution
Newfoundland to VA and WV, west to MN and AR. More common in northern areas.
Morphology
Annual; stem simple or branched from the base, decumbent to erect, 10-40(-80 cm); leaves oblanceolate to oblong or lanceolate, 3-8 cm, tapering to the base, prominently sinuate-dentate to pinnatifid, green, sparsely puberulent to glabrous above; flowers few, sessil in the axils of the scarcely reduced upper leaves, not forming a distinct spike; hypanthium hirsute, 1.5-3.5 cm; sepals 6-12 mm, reflexed separately or connivent; petals 5-18 mm; fruit linear, straight or curved, 1.5-3.5 cm; seeds thick-ellipsoid, pale brown, pitted.
Notes
Flowers July to October
Wetland indicator: FACU
Similar to O. biennis but with the sepal appendages separate from the base and subterminal, with the actual tip represented by a distinct transverse ridge or small lobe. Plants from MA to VA without glandular-tipped hairs that are closely and minutely canescent-strigulose have been called var. oakesiana (Robbins) Fernald.
References
Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY
Michael Hough © 2018 |