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Pinguicula pumila Michaux. Common name: Small Butterwort. Phenology: (Oct-) Feb-May. Habitat: Wet pine savannas and wet pine flatwoods. Distribution: Se. NC (Carteret and Pender counties) south to s. FL, west to se. TX; Bahamas.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: A presumed form from s. FL with clear yellow corollas was named P. pumila var. buswellii (see synonymy); it needs additional evaluation.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Bah, Fl6, GW2, K4, RAB, S, Tx, WH3, Schnell (2002b); > Pinguicula pumila Walter var. buswellii Moldenke. Basionym: Pinguicula pumila Michx. 1803

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Wetland Indicator Status:

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

Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image of plant© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Pinguicula pumila, Southern Exposure Glade, Ricketson Tract, Broxton Rocks Preserve, The Nature Conservancy, Coffee County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Pinguicula pumila, Volusia County, Florida 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Pinguicula pumila, Broxton Rocks Preserve, The Nature Conservancy, Coffee County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Pinguicula pumila, St. Vincent Island, St. Vincent Island National Wildlife Refuge, Franklin County, Florida 2 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Pinguicula pumila, St. Vincent Island, St. Vincent Island National Wildlife Refuge, Franklin County, Florida 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Scapose, carnivorous plant of pine savannas and wet pine flatwoods.

Stems: Stem a single, hairy flowering scape arising from the basal rosette of leaves.

Leaves: Leaves basal, in a rosette about 1 1/2 in. wide, oval with curled up margins, smaller than leaves of other Pinguicula species, somewhat fleshy, yellowish-green and oily feeling.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers held singly at tip of scape, often angled with opening upward; whitish to pale violet; less than 1/2 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: 6-8 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Scapose, carnivorous plant of pine savannas and wet pine flatwoods.

stems: Stem a single, hairy flowering scape arising from the basal rosette of leaves.

leaves: Leaves basal, in a rosette about 1 1/2 in. wide, oval with curled up margins, smaller than leaves of other Pinguicula species, somewhat fleshy, yellowish-green and oily feeling.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers held singly at tip of scape, often angled with opening upward; whitish to pale violet; less than 1/2 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:



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