Lobelia puberula

Lobelia puberula, or downy lobelia, is a perennial herbaceous wildflower in the Bellflower family (Campanulaceae) native to eastern and south central United States.[1] It is the most common blue-flowered Lobelia in the Southeast.[2] It grows in mesic (moderate moisture) to hydric (moist) habitats in sun or partial shade.[3][4]

Lobelia puberula
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Campanulaceae
Genus: Lobelia
Species:
L. puberula
Binomial name
Lobelia puberula

Description

Downy lobelia is a perennial herb that grows up to 2.5 ft (1 m) tall. Leaves are simple with a toothed margin. The flowers are blue to violet, five-lobed, and bloom from July to October.[5]

Lobelia puberula is similar to two other Lobelia species in to the Eastern United States, Lobelia inflata (Indian tobacco) and Lobelia siphilitica (great lobelia); all display the characteristic "lip" petal near the opening of the flower and the "milky" liquid the plant excretes.[6]

References
  1. "Loeblia puberula". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  2. Spaulding, Dan; Barger, T.Wayne (2016). "Keys, distribution, and taxonomic notes for the Lobelias (Lobelia, Campanulaceae) of Alabama and adjacent states" (PDF). Phytoneuron. 2016–76: 1–60. Retrieved 2018-06-23.
  3. Missouri Plants
  4. "Lobelia puberula". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  5. North Carolina Wildflowers
  6. Caruso, C. M.; Peterson, S. B.; Ridley, C. E. (2003), "Natural selection on floral traits of Lobelia (Lobeliaceae): spatial and temporal variation", American Journal of Botany, 90 (9): 1333–40, doi:10.3732/ajb.90.9.1333, PMID 21659233


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