Hydrophyllum virginianum Linnaeus. Common name: Eastern Waterleaf, Virginia Waterleaf. Phenology: Apr-Jul; Jul-Aug. Habitat: Cove forests, moist rocky forests, alluvial forests. Distribution: NH and QC west to ND, south to e. VA, c. NC, KY, s. IN, s. IL, nc. AR, and ne. OK.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: As discussed by Beckmann (1979) and Constance (1941), H. virginianum is a closely related vicariant of H. tenuipes Heller of BC south to CA. See Phacelia bipinnatifida for additional suggestions on distinguishing it from this species. See Weakley et al. (2017) for discussion of the two varieties.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Alexander (1941); = Hydrophyllum virginianum L. var. virginianum — C, F, G, K4, Mo2, NY, WV, Constance (1942), Karlsson, Weakley, & Poindexter (2017) in Weakley et al (2017); < Hydrophyllum virginianum L. — GrPl, Il, Mi, NE, Pa, RAB, Tat, Va, W, Beckmann (1979); < Hydrophyllum virginicum L. — S, orthographic error. Basionym: Hydrophyllum virginianum L. 1753
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Great Plains: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Midwest: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Northcentral & Northeast: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
Heliophily ⓘ: 2
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Weakly erect, rhizomatous perennial of cove hardwood forests, moist rocky forests and alluvial forests.
Stems: Stems branched, smooth or with hairs pressed close to stem.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, broadly oval to triangular in outline, to 6 in. long, pinnately divided into 5-9 coarsely toothed and pointy segments, with scattered whitish spots that fade with age and sometimes lightly hairy.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in 1-2 rounded clusters on a terminal stalk; white to pale purple or purple-maroon; about ½ in. long; tubular-bell-shaped with 5 erect corolla lobes, 5 hairy and linear calyx lobes with feathery edges, and 5 hairy stamens bearing pale yellow anthers that turn brown with age.
Fruits: Fruit a round capsule.
Comments: Two varieties of Hydrophyllum virginianum are often distinguished on the basis of flower color: var. virginianum with white to pale purple flowers and var. atranthum with deep purple to maroon flowers. See technical manuals listed in the Appendix.
Height: 8-34 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Weakly erect, rhizomatous perennial of cove hardwood forests, moist rocky forests and alluvial forests.
stems: Stems branched, smooth or with hairs pressed close to stem.
leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, broadly oval to triangular in outline, to 6 in. long, pinnately divided into 5-9 coarsely toothed and pointy segments, with scattered whitish spots that fade with age and sometimes lightly hairy.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in 1-2 rounded clusters on a terminal stalk; white to pale purple or purple-maroon; about ½ in. long; tubular-bell-shaped with 5 erect corolla lobes, 5 hairy and linear calyx lobes with feathery edges, and 5 hairy stamens bearing pale yellow anthers that turn brown with age.
fruits: Fruit a round capsule.
comments: Two varieties of Hydrophyllum virginianum are often distinguished on the basis of flower color: var. virginianum with white to pale purple flowers and var. atranthum with deep purple to maroon flowers. See technical manuals listed in the Appendix.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern & central North America
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