Rhexia alifanus Walter. Common name: Smooth Meadow-beauty. Phenology: May-Sep. Habitat: Pine flatwoods and savannas, pocosin borders, more able to tolerate merely moist soils than other Rhexia species. Distribution: A Southeastern Coastal Plain species: e. NC south to n. peninsular FL and west to se. Texas (Singhurst, Mink, & Holmes 2010).
ID notes: Our tallest and showiest Rhexia: the unbranched (unless injured), wand-like stems, with strongly ascending, bluish-green, waxy-smooth, and generally entire leaves make this species unmistakable.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Synonymy ⓘ: = Fl4, FNA10, GW2, K4, RAB, S, S13, WH3, Kral & Bostick (1969), Nesom (2012a); = Rhexia glabella Michx. Basionym: Rhexia alifanus Walter 1788
Links to other floras: = Rhexia alifanus - FNA10
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
Heliophily ⓘ: 8
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© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: rhexia alifanus, tattnall county, georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect perennial of wet pine flatwoods, savannas and pocosin borders; this species is more tolerant of merely moist (not saturated) soils than other Rhexias.
Stems: Stems 4-angled, usually unbranched, bluish-green and smooth.
Leaves: Leaves opposite, sessile, lance-shaped, tapered at both ends and pointing upward, to 2 3/4 in. long, with 3 conspicuous veins, mostly entire, bluish-green and smooth.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in small terminal or upper axillary clusters, rosy-pink to purple, about 2 in. wide, with 4 spreading, asymmetric-oval petals arising from a glandular-hairy, urn-shaped tube; 8 stamens with curved yellow anthers conspicuously protrude from the corolla.
Fruits: Fruit a round capsule enclosed in the urn-shaped tube.
Comments:
Height: 1 1/2-3 ft.
plant sale text: Smooth meadow-beauty is native to wet flatwoods, savannahs, and pocosins in the Coastal Plain. It has elegant pink flowers with curved yellow stamens atop tall stems. The reddish, urn-shaped seed capsules provide interest through the fall. This species is less likely to spread than white meadow-beauty (R. mariana var. exalbida) or Virginia meadow-beauty (R. virginica). Add this species to your bog garden or other moist, sunny spot for a striking splash of color.
bloom table text:
description: Erect perennial of wet pine flatwoods, savannas and pocosin borders; this species is more tolerant of merely moist (not saturated) soils than other Rhexias.
stems: Stems 4-angled, usually unbranched, bluish-green and smooth.
leaves: Leaves opposite, sessile, lance-shaped, tapered at both ends and pointing upward, to 2 3/4 in. long, with 3 conspicuous veins, mostly entire, bluish-green and smooth.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in small terminal or upper axillary clusters, rosy-pink to purple, about 2 in. wide, with 4 spreading, asymmetric-oval petals arising from a glandular-hairy, urn-shaped tube; 8 stamens with curved yellow anthers conspicuously protrude from the corolla.
fruits: Fruit a round capsule enclosed in the urn-shaped tube.
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: southeastern United States
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