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Claytoniacaroliniana Michaux. Carolina Spring-beauty. Phen: Mar-May. Hab: Moist forests, especially northern hardwood forests and cove forests at moderate to high elevations. Dist: NS west to MN, south to w. NC, e. TN, and n. GA; disjunct (?) in AR (see discussion).
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: The history of reports of this species from AR (Gentry et al. 2013, Miller & Chambers 2006, Smith 1988, Smith, 1994, Evans, & Witsell 2013) is complex and multi-faceted. It is the name that was applied to plants of C. arkansana before the description of C. ozarkensis, but has also sometimes been applied to wide-leaved plants of C. virginica (corresponding to C. virginica forma robusta (Somes) Palmer & Steyermark). More recently it has been applied to a few curious specimens that fit the morphology of C. caroliniana more closely than that of C. arkansana or C. virginica, but occur in or near the range of C. arkansana. It is possible that these represent hybrids between C. arkansana and C. virginica and further study is warranted. There records of C. caroliniana from Indiana are apparently erroneous (S. Namestnik, pers. comm., 2022).
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, FNA4, G, K3, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Va, W, Davis (1966), Miller & Chambers (2006), Snyder (1992a); > Claytoniacaroliniana Michx. var. caroliniana – K1; > Claytoniacaroliniana Michx. var. lewisii McNeill – K1
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Horticultural Information
Intro:Delicate, erect perennial (somewhat colonial) from an round underground corm, found in moist forests, especially northern hardwood forests and cove forests at moderate to high elevations.
Stems:Stems unbranched, smooth.
Leaves:Basal leaves, petiolate, elliptic or spoon-shaped, 2-6 in. long, smooth; stem leaves typically opposite, oval to spoon-shaped, 1 1/2-3 in. long, smooth.
Inforescence:
Flowers:Flowers 6-20 in a loose terminal raceme, white to pink with darker pink stripes, 1/2 in. wide, consisting of 5 spreading oval petals, 2 smaller oval sepals and 5 stamens with pink anthers.
Fruits:Fruit a pyramidal to rounded capsule.
Comments:Flowers close at night and on cloudy days. Plant withers shortly after seed capsules ripen.
Height:2-12 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description:Delicate, erect perennial (somewhat colonial) from an round underground corm, found in moist forests, especially northern hardwood forests and cove forests at moderate to high elevations.
stems:Stems unbranched, smooth.
leaves:Basal leaves, petiolate, elliptic or spoon-shaped, 2-6 in. long, smooth; stem leaves typically opposite, oval to spoon-shaped, 1 1/2-3 in. long, smooth.
inflorescence:
flowers:Flowers 6-20 in a loose terminal raceme, white to pink with darker pink stripes, 1/2 in. wide, consisting of 5 spreading oval petals, 2 smaller oval sepals and 5 stamens with pink anthers.
fruits:Fruit a pyramidal to rounded capsule.
comments:Flowers close at night and on cloudy days. Plant withers shortly after seed capsules ripen.
