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Amsoniaciliata Walter. Sandhill Bluestar. Phen: Apr-May; Sep-Oct. Hab: Longleaf pine sandhills, other dry woodlands and openings. Dist: Se. NC south to c. peninsular FL, west to c. and s. AL; curiously disjunct in the Ozark-Ouachita highlands of sc. MO, w. AR, and se. OK; material from sc. and w. OK and TX sometimes included in A. ciliata is here considered a separate species, A. texana (A. Gray) Heller.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: Two varieties have been traditionally recognized since the monograph of Woodson (1928), var. ciliata (leaves strongly heteromorphic, the lower leaves lanceolate, 4-10 mm wide (mostly 4-15× as long as wide), the upper about 1 mm wide; inflorescence barely held above the foliage) and var. tenuifolia (leaves slightly or not at all heteromorphic, the lower leaves linear, 1-3 mm wide (mostly 15-30× as long as wide), the upper < 1 mm wide; inflorescence usually held well above the foliage). They do not seem to be clearly separable morphologically, and their distributions are very largely overlapping, suggesting that they are merely forms.
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, Fl5, RAB, WH3; < Amsoniaciliata Walter – K3, K4, Ok; > Amsoniaciliata Walter var. ciliata – FNA14, K1, S, Woodson (1928), Woodson (1938); > Amsoniaciliata Walter var. filifolia Alph.Wood – F, FNA14, G, Mo2, S, Tx; >< Amsoniaciliata Walter var. filifolia Alph.Wood – Woodson (1938); > Amsoniaciliata Walter var. tenuifolia – Ar, K1, NcTx; >< Amsoniaciliata Walter var. tenuifolia – Woodson (1928)
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Horticultural Information
Intro:Clump-forming, erect to ascending perennial growing in sandhills and other sandy woodlands.
Stems:Stems branched, very leafy, hairy.
Leaves:Leaves alternate, crowded all the way up the stem, sessile, narrow and almost needle-like, up to 3 in. long, turning yellow-bronze in the fall.
Inforescence:
Flowers:Flowers in a loose cluster at top of stem, pale blue, 1/2 in. wide, consisting of a ½-in.-long thin tube that opens into a 5-lobed "star" with a white or pale yellow center.
Fruits:Fruit a pair of erect, green, slender follicles.
Comments:"Ciliata" in the name refers to the fringe of hairs found on new leaves and plant stems.
Height:1-2 ft.
plant sale text:Sandhills bluestar is a southeastern native perennial that produces clusters of small, star-shaped blue flowers in late spring held above its narrow, needle-like foliage. The leaves turns bright yellow in the fall. In the wild, it is typically seen growing in the sandhills of North Carolina. It is clump forming and thrives in gardens with well-drained soil and more than four hours of sunlight each day, though it appreciates afternoon shade in hotter areas.
bloom table text:
description:Clump-forming, erect to ascending perennial growing in sandhills and other sandy woodlands.
stems:Stems branched, very leafy, hairy.
leaves:Leaves alternate, crowded all the way up the stem, sessile, narrow and almost needle-like, up to 3 in. long, turning yellow-bronze in the fall.
inflorescence:
flowers:Flowers in a loose cluster at top of stem, pale blue, 1/2 in. wide, consisting of a ½-in.-long thin tube that opens into a 5-lobed "star" with a white or pale yellow center.
fruits:Fruit a pair of erect, green, slender follicles.
comments:"Ciliata" in the name refers to the fringe of hairs found on new leaves and plant stems.
