Physostegia leptophylla Small. Common name: Tidal Marsh Obedient-plant, Swamp Obedient-plant. Phenology: Late May-early Aug; Jun-Sep. Habitat: Bottomland hardwood forests, swamps, tidal freshwater or slightly brackish (oligohaline) marshes, rarely wet savannas (GA). Distribution: Se. VA south to sc. peninsular FL, west to sw. GA., s. AL, and Panhandle FL.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: P. leptophylla is a tetraploid; Cantino (1982) suggests that this species may be an allotetraploid, perhaps originating from P. purpurea × virginiana.
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, Fl6, GW2, K4, WH3, Cantino (1982); > Dracocephalum leptophyllum Small — S; < Dracocephalum purpureum (Walter) E.M.McClint. ex Gleason — G, RAB; > Dracocephalum veroniciformis Small — S; > Physostegia aboriginorum Fernald — F; > Physostegia denticulata (Aiton) Britton — F, misapplied. Basionym: Physostegia leptophylla Small 1899
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
Heliophily ⓘ: 5
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© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect, rhizomatous perennial found in the wet muck of bottomland hardwood forests, swamps, tidal freshwater or slightly brackish marshes and, rarely, wet savannas.
Stems: Stems 4-angled, simple, smooth.
Leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate (lower) to sessile and sometimes clasping (upper), lance-shaped, 1-4 in. long, wavy-margined.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers loosely spaced along a finely hairy/downy, terminal raceme; lavender to reddish-violet; 1/2-1 in. long; bilaterally symmetric; tubular and inflated, with purple splotches within, opening to 2 lips, the lower one 3-lobed. The tubular calyx is shorter, has 5 triangular lobes and may be gland-dotted.
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Height: 1-4 ft.
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description: Erect, rhizomatous perennial found in the wet muck of bottomland hardwood forests, swamps, tidal freshwater or slightly brackish marshes and, rarely, wet savannas.
stems: Stems 4-angled, simple, smooth.
leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate (lower) to sessile and sometimes clasping (upper), lance-shaped, 1-4 in. long, wavy-margined.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers loosely spaced along a finely hairy/downy, terminal raceme; lavender to reddish-violet; 1/2-1 in. long; bilaterally symmetric; tubular and inflated, with purple splotches within, opening to 2 lips, the lower one 3-lobed. The tubular calyx is shorter, has 5 triangular lobes and may be gland-dotted.
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