Pinguicula caerulea Walter. Common name: Blue Butterwort. Phenology: (Jan-) Apr-May. Habitat: Pine savannas and wet pine flatwoods, mostly in the outer Coastal Plain, rarely extending inland to seepages and sandhill-pocosin ecotones in the fall-line Sandhills of NC and SC. Distribution: Se. NC (Carteret and Johnston counties) south to s. peninsular FL, west to e. Panhandle FL.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Other Comments: Schnell (1980a) discusses populations with white corollas.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Fl6, GW2, K4, RAB, S, WH3, Schnell (2002b); Pinguicula elatior Michx. Basionym: Pinguicula caerulea Walter 1788
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
Heliophily ⓘ: 8
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© Alan Cressler: Pinguicula caerulea, Gopher Tortoise Bog, Easter Plantation, Brooks County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Pinguicula caerulea, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Wakulla County, Florida 3 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Pinguicula caerulea, Gopher Tortoise Bog, Easter Plantation, Brooks County, Georgia 3 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Pinguicula caerulea, Orchid Bog, Easter Plantation, Brooks County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Pinguicula caerulea, along U.S. 341, Wayne County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Scapose, carnivorous perennial found in pine savannas and wet pine flatwoods, mostly in the outer Coastal Plain, rarely extending inland to seepages and sandhill-pocosin ecotones in the fall-line Sandhills of NC and SC.
Stems: Stem a single, hairy flowering scape arising from the basal rosette of leaves.
Leaves: Leaves basal, in a rosette about 5 in. wide, oval with curled up margins, fleshy, yellowish-green and oily feeling.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers held singly at top of scape, mostly at a right-angle to scape; pale blue to violet veined with darker violet; about 1 in. wide; bilaterally symmetric and tubular, with 5 spreading, notched corolla lobes, a hairy lump on inside bottom of the throat, and a backward-pointing spur.
Fruits:
Comments: Insects are trapped on the upper surface of leaves, which secrete a musty-smelling mucilage and digestive fluids.
Height: to 8 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Scapose, carnivorous perennial found in pine savannas and wet pine flatwoods, mostly in the outer Coastal Plain, rarely extending inland to seepages and sandhill-pocosin ecotones in the fall-line Sandhills of NC and SC.
stems: Stem a single, hairy flowering scape arising from the basal rosette of leaves.
leaves: Leaves basal, in a rosette about 5 in. wide, oval with curled up margins, fleshy, yellowish-green and oily feeling.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers held singly at top of scape, mostly at a right-angle to scape; pale blue to violet veined with darker violet; about 1 in. wide; bilaterally symmetric and tubular, with 5 spreading, notched corolla lobes, a hairy lump on inside bottom of the throat, and a backward-pointing spur.
fruits:
comments: Insects are trapped on the upper surface of leaves, which secrete a musty-smelling mucilage and digestive fluids.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: NC, SC, GA & FL
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