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Plantaginaceae
Mecardonia

not marked as a favorite taxon Mecardonia acuminata (Walter) Small var. acuminata. Common name: Mecardonia, Common Axil-flower. Phenology: Jul-Sep; Aug-Oct. Habitat: Marshes, ditches, wet pine savannas, bottomland forests, wet disturbed areas. Distribution: DE and MD south to n. peninsular FL, west to e. TX, north in the interior to KY, TN, and MO.

Glossary (beta!)

ID notes: The long, ascending pedicels are distinctive for the species. The plant blackens on drying.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = FNA17, K4, S, Va; Gratiola acuminata Walter = Mecardonia acuminata (Walter) Small ssp. acuminata — Fl6, WH3; = Pagesia acuminata (Walter) Pennell ssp. typica Pennell — Pennell (1935); < Bacopa acuminata (Walter) B.L.Rob. — F; < Mecardonia acuminata (Walter) Small — Ar, C, G, GrPl, GW2, Il, Mo3, NcTx, RAB, Tat, Tn, Tx. Basionym: Gratiola acuminata Walter 1788

Links to other floras: = Mecardonia acuminata var. acuminata - FNA17

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL (name change)
  • Great Plains: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Midwest: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 7

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image #1 of Mecardonia acuminata var. acuminata© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Mecardonia acuminata var. acuminata© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Mecardonia acuminata var. acuminata© Eric Ungberg, all rights reserved, uploaded by Eric Ungberg source | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Mecardonia acuminata var. acuminata© Alan Weakley source
image #3 of Mecardonia acuminata var. acuminata© Eric Ungberg, all rights reserved, uploaded by Eric Ungberg source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect perennial from a slightly woody crown, found in marshes, ditches, wet pine savannas, bottomland forests and wet disturbed areas.

Stems: Stems 4-angled and winged, simple or branched, smooth.

Leaves: Leaves opposite, sessile, elliptic to lance-shaped tapering to narrow base, to 2 in. long, toothed on the upper half.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers solitary on stalks from leaf axils, white (sometimes with purple tinge or veins), about 1/3 in. long, tubular and opening to 5 spreading lobes, the lower 3 slightly larger and the upper 2 bearded at the throat; 5 linear-lance-shaped sepals are of unequal widths and nearly as long as the corolla.

Fruits: Fruit an ellipsoid capsule, about 1/4 in. long.

Comments:

Height: 4-20 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial from a slightly woody crown, found in marshes, ditches, wet pine savannas, bottomland forests and wet disturbed areas.

stems: Stems 4-angled and winged, simple or branched, smooth.

leaves: Leaves opposite, sessile, elliptic to lance-shaped tapering to narrow base, to 2 in. long, toothed on the upper half.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers solitary on stalks from leaf axils, white (sometimes with purple tinge or veins), about 1/3 in. long, tubular and opening to 5 spreading lobes, the lower 3 slightly larger and the upper 2 bearded at the throat; 5 linear-lance-shaped sepals are of unequal widths and nearly as long as the corolla.

fruits: Fruit an ellipsoid capsule, about 1/4 in. long.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: central & southeastern U.S.



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