Colors

Data mode

Account

Login
Sign up

Click the number at the start of a key lead to highlight both that lead and its corresponding lead. Click again to show only the two highlighted leads. Click a third time to return to the full key with the selected leads still highlighted.

Key to Lithospermum

Copy permalink to share

1 Corolla lobes acute to acuminate, erect (continuing the plane of the corolla tube); style exserted.
..2 Corolla lobes yellow to orange; nutlet 2.0-2.8 mm long; corolla lobes either 2.5-4× as long as wide and acuminate (L. virginianum) or 1.5-2× as long as wide, acute (O. decipiens).
....3 Stem hairs 2.5-5.0 mm long; corolla lobes 1.5-2× as long as wide, acute; tips of the anthers reaching the base of the corolla sinuses; [endemic to Ketona dolomite glades, Bibb County, c. AL]
....3 Stem hairs < 2.0 mm long; corolla lobes 2.5-4× as long as wide and acuminate; tips of the anthers below the corolla sinuses; [widespread in our area]
..2 Corolla lobes dull greenish-white; nutlet 2.5-3.0 mm long; corolla lobes 1.5-2× as long as wide, acute.
......4 Leaf vestiture solely of dense appressed hairs on both surfaces (the plant appearing ashy-white)
......4 Leaf vestiture at least in part of spreading or ascending hairs.
........5 Stems glabrescent (with widely scattered appressed hairs) below the inflorescence branches
........5 Stems persistently and obviously pubescent below the inflorescence branches.
..........6 Upper leaf surface with hairs of similar length, these appressed to ascending; corolla 11-20 mm long; nutlets tapered to the base, lacking a collar; longest stem hairs near midstem < 2.2 mm long
..........6 Upper leaf surface with hairs of two lengths, these spreading; corolla either 6-10 mm or 11-20 mm long; nutlets either flared at the base (forming a collar) or rounded to the base (lacking a collar); longest stem hairs near midstem either 2-4 mm long or < 2.2 mm long.
............ 7 Corolla 11-20 mm long; nutlets rounded and not at all constricted at the base; stem pubescence 2-4 mm long
............ 7 Corolla 6-10 mm; nutlets flared at the base, forming a collar; longest stem hairs near midstem < 2.2 mm long
1 Corolla lobes rounded, spreading; style included.
............ ..8 Corolla white or yellowish-white, the tube 4-8 mm long.
............ ....9 Plant with basal rosette; lower cauline leaves about equal in size to the upper cauline leaves; leaves acute to obtuse
............ ....9 Plant lacking basal rosette; lower cauline leaves smaller than the upper cauline leaves; leaves acuminate or acute.
............ ......10 Upper stem internodes mostly 3-6 cm long; leaves mostly > 2 cm wide, acuminate
............ ......10 Upper stem internodes mostly 1-2 cm long; leaves mostly < 2 cm wide, acute
............ ..8 Corolla yellow-orange, the tube 7-30 mm long.
............ ........11 Corolla tube 13-30 mm long; corolla lobes denticulate to lacerate; nutlets pitted
............ ........11 Corolla tube 7-14 mm long; corolla lobes entire; nutlets smooth.
............ ..........12 Plant with dense, soft, appressed pubescence, the hairs usually without pustular bases; calyx lobes 6-8 mm long at maturity; nutlets 2-3 mm long; [mostly of rocky or clayey circumneutral soils of inland physiographic provinces]
............ ..........12 Plant with scattered, stiff, spreading pubescence, the hairs with or without pustular bases; calyx lobes 10-15 mm long at maturity; nutlets 3.5-4.5 mm long; [variously of sandy acidic soils of the Coastal Plain or inland].
............ ............ 13 Pubescence with slender bases; mature calyx lobes flat; plants with 15-25 well-developed leaves below the inflorescence; [of sandy Coastal Plain habitats from se. VA southward]
............ ............ 13 Pubescence with pustular bases; mature calyx lobes strongly keeled; plants with (30-) 35-45 well-developed leaves below the inflorescence; [inland, known from inland provinces, PA, OH, IN, KY, IN, IL, MO, AR, and OK]
Cite as...