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| 1 Corolla lobes fimbriate; ovules 2 to each of the 2 placentae (or 4 in P. gilioides); seeds 4 (or 6-8 in P. gilioides) per capsule. |
| ..2 Corolla lobes conspicuously pilose on the back; ovules 4 per placenta (carpel); seeds (6-) 8 per capsule |
| ..2 Corolla lobes glabrous or glabrescent on the back; ovules 2 per placenta (carpel); seeds 4 per capsule. |
| ....3 Corolla white (rarely slightly lavender); pubescence of the stem spreading; lobes of cauline leaves mostly obtuse; seeds 3.0-3.5 mm long |
| ....3 Corolla lavender to blue; pubescence of the stem appressed; lobes of cauline leaves mostly acute; seeds 1.5-3.0 mm long |
| ......4 Ovary below the apex pubescent; outer (lower) surface of corolla lobes usually pubecent; pedicels often short (< 12 mm long) |
| ......4 Ovary below the apex glabrou; outer (lower) surface of the corolla lobes glabrous (or rarely with a very few hairs); pedicels usually > 8 mm long |
| 1 Corolla lobes entire; seeds 4-15 per capsule. |
| ........5 Stamens 1.5-2 mm long; style 1.5-2 mm long; corolla tubular; seeds globose-ovoid, nearly spherical, 4 per capsule. |
| ..........6 Pubescence of the middle stem (from 2nd to 5th node from the base) consisting of appressed to ascending, stiff, pointed hairs, sometimes also with a few gland-tipped hairs < 2 mm long; terminal leaflet of leaves directly subtending an inflorescence with acute to cuneate bases; flowers medium blue; [of rivers in the Atlantic drainage, also west of the Appalachians in rivers of the Mississippi drainage] |
| ..........6 Pubescence of the middle stem spreading or even retrorse, most of the hairs weak and twisted, and many of them glandular-tipped and > 2 mm long; terminal leaflet of leaves directly subtending an inflorescence with obtuse to rounded or truncate bases; flowers light blue; [of rivers in the Mississippi drainage] |
| ........5 Stamens 3-10 mm long; style 3-15 mm long; corolla rotate to broadly campanulate; seeds ovoid-angled, 4-15 per capsule. |
| ............ 7 Corolla 10-15 mm across, blue; plant 10-60 cm tall; seeds 2.5-4 mm long, black; ultimate segments of the leaf 15-45 mm long, 10-25 mm wide; pedicels recurved in fruit; branches of the inflorescence glandular-pubescent |
| ............ 7 Corolla 5-11 mm across, white to blue; plant 5-40 cm tall; seeds 1.5-2.2 mm long, brown; ultimate segments of the leaf 5-15 mm long, 5-9 mm wide; pedicels ascending to spreading in fruit; inflorescence branches variously pubescent, but not glandular. |
| ............ ..8 Basal leaves shallowly toothed or lobed; fruiting pedicels strictly erect, usually shorter than the fruiting calyx |
| ............ ..8 Basal leaves pinnate or deeply pinnatifid; fruiting pedicels ascending or divergent, usually as long as or longer than the fruiting calyx. |
| ............ ....9 Pubescence of the stems, peduncles, and pedicels spreading; calyx lobes spreading at anthesis |
| ............ ....9 Pubescence of the stems, peduncles, and pedicels appressed; calyx lobes ascending or erect at anthesis. |
............ ......10 Sepals 4-8 mm long, linear or oblanceolate; marginal bristles of sepals spreading, 1.0-1.5 mm long; plants mostly erect |
| ............ ......10 Sepals 2-4 mm long, narrowly ovate; marginal bristles of sepals appressed, 0.3-1.0 mm long; plants mostly decumbent, branched from the base. |
| ............ ........11 Sepals (in flower) 2.0-3.0 mm long; petals 3.5-5 mm long; marginal bristles of sepals 0.4-0.7 mm long; basal leaves with 4-5 pairs of lateral leaflets, the terminal leaflet about the same size and unlobed; cauline leaves with 2-4 pairs of narrow lobes; [of granitic flatrocks and domes of the Piedmont of SC and southwestward] |
| ............ ........11 Sepals (in flower) 2.6-4.0 mm long; petals 4-6 mm long; marginal bristles of sepals 0.6-0.9 mm long; basal leaves with 1-3 pairs of lateral leaflets, the terminal leaflet larger and usually 3-lobed; cauline leaves with 1-3 pairs of rather broad lobes; [of various habitats (including granitic flatrocks and domes]. |
| ............ ..........12 Outer sepals lanceolate to linear; calyx (in fruit) 4.5-7.5 mm long; lower pedicels 5-25 mm long at maturity; [of various habitats and widespread in our area, but not in the Interior Low Plateau of TN] |
| ............ ..........12 Outer sepals ovate; calyx (in fruit) 4-5 mm long; lower pedicels 3-7 mm long at maturity; [of calcareous glades and disturbed areas over limestone in the Interior Low Plateau of TN] |