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Plantaginaceae
Chelone

not marked as a favorite taxon Chelone obliqua Linnaeus. Common name: Purple Turtlehead. Phenology: Jul-Oct; Sep-Nov. Habitat: Streambanks, swamp forests, ecotones of freshwater tidal marshes. Distribution: MD and TN south to GA and MS.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: Chelone obliqua (in the narrow sense) is hexaploid (Nelson 2024; Nelson, Elisens, & Benish 1998).

Synonymy ⓘ: = Nelson (2024); = Chelone obliqua L. ssp. obliqua — Pennell (1935); = Chelone obliqua L. var. obliqua — F, FNA17, K4, NE; < Chelone obliqua L. — C, G, GW2, RAB, S, Tn, Va, W. Basionym: Chelone obliqua L. 1767

Links to other floras: = Chelone obliqua var. obliqua - FNA17

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Great Plains: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Midwest: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 5

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image #1 of Chelone obliqua© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Chelone obliqua© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Upright perennial of stream banks in floodplain forests and swamp forests.

Stems: Stems simple or sparingly branched, smooth.

Leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, lance-shaped tapering to a sharp tip, 3 1/2-5 1/2 in. long, and toothed.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in dense terminal spikes, vaguely 4-ranked and with leafy bracts that mostly conceal individual flower stalks; purple or red-purple, 1-1 3/8 in. long, tubular, somewhat flattened, with hood-like upper lip and a lower lip bearing a white or yellowish beard, 4 fertile stamens and a single white sterile stamen.

Fruits: Fruit an oval capsule, to 1/2 in. long

Comments:

Height: 2-3 ft..

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Upright perennial of stream banks in floodplain forests and swamp forests.

stems: Stems simple or sparingly branched, smooth.

leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, lance-shaped tapering to a sharp tip, 3 1/2-5 1/2 in. long, and toothed.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in dense terminal spikes, vaguely 4-ranked and with leafy bracts that mostly conceal individual flower stalks; purple or red-purple, 1-1 3/8 in. long, tubular, somewhat flattened, with hood-like upper lip and a lower lip bearing a white or yellowish beard, 4 fertile stamens and a single white sterile stamen.

fruits: Fruit an oval capsule, to 1/2 in. long

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



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