Copy permalink to share

Phacelia covillei S. Watson ex A. Gray. Common name: Eastern Buttercup Phacelia. Phenology: Apr; May. Habitat: Rich soils of floodplains, and contiguous terraces and slopes. Distribution: Ranging in three disjunct areas: c. NC and sc. VA (in the drainages of the Cape Fear, Tar, and Roanoke rivers); DC, n. VA, and sc. MD (in the drainage of the Potomac River); and disjunct at scattered locations w. WV, s. OH, sw. IN, and s. MO (in the drainage of the Ohio River and its tributaries, except the MO occurrence) (Sewell & Vincent 2006)

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: Closely similar to P. ranunculacea (with which it is sympatric in the lower Ohio River area), but consistently distinguishable based on subtle characters (Sewell & Vincent 2006). Chuang & Constance (1977) felt that P. covillei and P. ranunculacea (sensu stricto) have numerous characteristics that rendered their inclusion in Phacelia uncomfortable (also see discussion in Constance 1949 and Gillett 1968), but Sewell & Vincent (2006) countered this idea. See Nemophila aphylla for suggestions on distinguishing these three superficially similar species.

Synonymy ⓘ: = K1, K3, K4, Va, Sewell & Vincent (2006); < Phacelia ranunculacea (Nutt.) Constance – C, F, G, Il, RAB, Constance (1949)

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus

Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
  • Midwest: FACW

Heliophily ⓘ: 1

Your browser does not support SVGs

Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.

image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plantno rights reserved, uploaded by Alan Weakley source CC0 | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plantno rights reserved, uploaded by Alan Weakley source CC0 | Original Image ⭷

Feedback

See something wrong or missing on about Phacelia covillei? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months.


Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect-spreading annual/biennial of rich soils of floodplains and of nearby terraces and slopes.

Stems: Stems weak, simple or branched from the base, lower parts rough-hairy.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, oblong-oval in outline, 1-3 in. long, deeply pinnately divided into 1-6 segments that may be further lobed; blade and petiole are rough-hairy.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in loose, branching, and sometimes weakly coiled, axillary clusters of 1-6; blue; less than 1/4 in. wide; tubular, with 5 tiny, ascending corolla lobes.

Fruits:

Comments:

Height: 4-8 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect-spreading annual/biennial of rich soils of floodplains and of nearby terraces and slopes.

stems: Stems weak, simple or branched from the base, lower parts rough-hairy.

leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, oblong-oval in outline, 1-3 in. long, deeply pinnately divided into 1-6 segments that may be further lobed; blade and petiole are rough-hairy.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in loose, branching, and sometimes weakly coiled, axillary clusters of 1-6; blue; less than 1/4 in. wide; tubular, with 5 tiny, ascending corolla lobes.

fruits:

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: