Samolus parviflorus Rafinesque. Common name: Water-pimpernel, Brookweed. Phenology: Apr-Oct. Habitat: Stream banks, tidal freshwater and oligohaline marshes, pools in floodplains, calcareous seepage swamps, interdune ponds. Distribution: NB west to BC, south to Central America; c. and s. South America; Bahamas.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: Sometimes treated as a subspecies or other component of the European S. valerandi; the American plant is sufficiently distinct to warrant specific status. Cholewa in FNA8 (2009) states: "Some taxonomists include this species within the European S. valerandi; that species has larger flowers and capsules, fewer racemes, and staminodes occurring in clusters of one to three. No specimens have been found of true European S. valerandi in the flora area; previous specimens labeled as S. valerandi are native species, usually S. parviflorus". A different opinion is expressed by Jones et al. (2012), who prefer to treat S. parviflorus within a broadly circumscribed S. valerandi. If treated at species rank (as here), the name S. floribundus has also sometimes been used for the North American taxon at species rank; S. parviflorus has nomenclatural priority over S. floribundus by a month.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Bah, Can, F, FNA8, GrPl, GW2, Il, Mi, Mo3, Pa, RAB, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WV; = Samolus floribundus Kunth — C, G, Meso4.1, Mex, S, S13; = Samolus valerandi L. ssp. parviflorus (Raf.) Hultén — Fl5, NcTx, NE, WH3; < Samolus valerandi L. — K4, NY. Basionym: Samolus parviflorus Raf. 1818
Links to other floras: = Samolus parviflorus - FNA8
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL (taxonomic lump from wetland indicator species)
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL (taxonomic lump from wetland indicator species)
- Great Plains: OBL
- Midwest: OBL
- Northcentral & Northeast: OBL
Heliophily ⓘ: 6
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© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Jay Horn source | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect to sprawling perennial found in tidal freshwater and brackish marshes, stream banks, pools in floodplains, calcareous seepage swamps and interdune ponds.
Stems: Stems with long flowering branches, smooth.
Leaves: Leaves basal and alternate on stem, short-petioled, spatula-shaped to oval, to 3 in. long, glossy and smooth.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in slightly zigzagging racemes (typically 1 or 2) at branch ends, each on its own spreading, 1/2-in.-long, wiry stalk; white; less than 1/4 in. wide; consisting of 5 white, oval and gently notched petals and 5 stamens in the center of a short corolla tube.
Fruits: Fruit a minute, round to oval capsule.
Comments:
Height: 6-18 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect to sprawling perennial found in tidal freshwater and brackish marshes, stream banks, pools in floodplains, calcareous seepage swamps and interdune ponds.
stems: Stems with long flowering branches, smooth.
leaves: Leaves basal and alternate on stem, short-petioled, spatula-shaped to oval, to 3 in. long, glossy and smooth.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in slightly zigzagging racemes (typically 1 or 2) at branch ends, each on its own spreading, 1/2-in.-long, wiry stalk; white; less than 1/4 in. wide; consisting of 5 white, oval and gently notched petals and 5 stamens in the center of a short corolla tube.
fruits: Fruit a minute, round to oval capsule.
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germination code:
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