Chelone cuthbertii Small. Common name: Cuthbert’s Turtlehead. Phenology: Late Jul-Sep; Sep-Oct. Habitat: Bogs, sphagnous swamps, seeps. Distribution: This species has a curious, disjunct distribution: Mountains and rarely upper Piedmont of w. NC and n. GA, and Coastal Plain of se. VA and e. NC.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: The species is diploid (Nelson, Elisens, & Benish 1998).
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, FNA17, G, GW2, K4, RAB, S, Va, W, Pennell (1935)
Links to other floras: = Chelone cuthbertii - FNA17
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
Heliophily ⓘ: 6
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect perennial of bogs, sphagnous swamps and seeps.
Stems: Stems simple or sparingly branched and smooth.
Leaves: Leaves opposite, sessile or nearly so, lance-shaped tapering to a sharp tip, 2-5 in. long, toothed.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers distinctly 4-ranked in dense terminal spikes and with leafy bracts that mostly conceal individual flower stalks, purple to pinkish-purple, 3/4-1 1/4 in. long, inflated-tubular, consisting of 2 essentially closed lips (yellow beard on inside of lower lip), 4 fertile stamens and a single purple sterile stamen.
Fruits: Fruit an oval capsule.
Comments: Chelone flowers produce large amounts of nectar, but the nearly closed flowers seem to exclude all insects except large bees, which are able to enter.
Height: 16-39 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect perennial of bogs, sphagnous swamps and seeps.
stems: Stems simple or sparingly branched and smooth.
leaves: Leaves opposite, sessile or nearly so, lance-shaped tapering to a sharp tip, 2-5 in. long, toothed.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers distinctly 4-ranked in dense terminal spikes and with leafy bracts that mostly conceal individual flower stalks, purple to pinkish-purple, 3/4-1 1/4 in. long, inflated-tubular, consisting of 2 essentially closed lips (yellow beard on inside of lower lip), 4 fertile stamens and a single purple sterile stamen.
fruits: Fruit an oval capsule.
comments: Chelone flowers produce large amounts of nectar, but the nearly closed flowers seem to exclude all insects except large bees, which are able to enter.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: