Obolaria virginica Linnaeus. Common name: Pennywort. Phenology: (Late Feb-) Mar-Jun; May-Jul. Habitat: Nutrient-rich, moist to dry forests, mesic hammocks. Distribution: NJ west to OH, s. IN, and s. IL, south to Panhandle FL (Jefferson County) and se. LA (reported from TX).
ID notes: The small purplish-green plants are inconspicuous, often nearly hidden under fallen leaves.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Other Comments: Obolaria has well-developed mycorrhizae and is substantially mycoheterotrophic (Cameron & Bolin 2010).
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, F, Fl5, FNA14, G, Il, K4, Mo3, Pa, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV, Gillett (1959). Basionym: Obolaria virginica L. 1753
Links to other floras: = Obolaria virginica - FNA14
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Heliophily ⓘ: 3
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Will Stuart | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷Feedback
See something wrong or missing on about Obolaria virginica? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months. If a species is not keyed, that's because keying is ongoing. Please don't send us feedback about unkeyed species.
Horticultural Information
Intro: Inconspicuous perennial growing in the leaf litter of nutrient-rich, moist to dry forests.
Stems: Stems short, fleshy, simple (very occasionally branched) with an overall purple-green coloration.
Leaves: Leaves opposite and sessile, roundish, less than ½ in. long, thick textured, the lower leaves bract-like.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers solitary, or in clusters of 3, in upper leaf axils; white to lavender; tubular, but cleft to the middle of the tube into 4 diamond-shaped lobes.
Fruits:
Comments: This spring ephemeral is often barely visible above the leaf litter; it has little chlorophyll and is believed to be a mycoheterotroph, obtaining nutrients via underground fungi associated with tree roots.
Height: 1-6 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Inconspicuous perennial growing in the leaf litter of nutrient-rich, moist to dry forests.
stems: Stems short, fleshy, simple (very occasionally branched) with an overall purple-green coloration.
leaves: Leaves opposite and sessile, roundish, less than ½ in. long, thick textured, the lower leaves bract-like.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers solitary, or in clusters of 3, in upper leaf axils; white to lavender; tubular, but cleft to the middle of the tube into 4 diamond-shaped lobes.
fruits:
comments: This spring ephemeral is often barely visible above the leaf litter; it has little chlorophyll and is believed to be a mycoheterotroph, obtaining nutrients via underground fungi associated with tree roots.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern United States
0 unsaved edits on this page.