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Plantaginaceae
Chelone

not marked as a favorite taxon Chelone cuthbertii Small. Common name: Cuthbert’s Turtlehead. Phenology: Late Jul-Sep; Sep-Oct. Habitat: Bogs, sphagnous swamps, seeps. Distribution: This species has a curious, disjunct distribution: Mountains and rarely upper Piedmont of w. NC and n. GA, and Coastal Plain of se. VA and e. NC.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: The species is diploid (Nelson, Elisens, & Benish 1998).

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, FNA17, G, GW2, K4, RAB, S, Va, W, Pennell (1935). Basionym: Chelone cuthbertii Small 1903

Links to other floras: = Chelone cuthbertii - FNA17

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL

Heliophily ⓘ: 6

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image #1 of Chelone cuthbertii© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Chelone cuthbertii© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Chelone cuthbertii© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Chelone cuthbertii© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Chelone cuthbertii© Edwin Bridges | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Chelone cuthbertii© Radford, Ahles and Bell | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect perennial of bogs, sphagnous swamps and seeps.

Stems: Stems simple or sparingly branched and smooth.

Leaves: Leaves opposite, sessile or nearly so, lance-shaped tapering to a sharp tip, 2-5 in. long, toothed.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers distinctly 4-ranked in dense terminal spikes and with leafy bracts that mostly conceal individual flower stalks, purple to pinkish-purple, 3/4-1 1/4 in. long, inflated-tubular, consisting of 2 essentially closed lips (yellow beard on inside of lower lip), 4 fertile stamens and a single purple sterile stamen.

Fruits: Fruit an oval capsule.

Comments: Chelone flowers produce large amounts of nectar, but the nearly closed flowers seem to exclude all insects except large bees, which are able to enter.

Height: 16-39 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial of bogs, sphagnous swamps and seeps.

stems: Stems simple or sparingly branched and smooth.

leaves: Leaves opposite, sessile or nearly so, lance-shaped tapering to a sharp tip, 2-5 in. long, toothed.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers distinctly 4-ranked in dense terminal spikes and with leafy bracts that mostly conceal individual flower stalks, purple to pinkish-purple, 3/4-1 1/4 in. long, inflated-tubular, consisting of 2 essentially closed lips (yellow beard on inside of lower lip), 4 fertile stamens and a single purple sterile stamen.

fruits: Fruit an oval capsule.

comments: Chelone flowers produce large amounts of nectar, but the nearly closed flowers seem to exclude all insects except large bees, which are able to enter.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



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