Physostegia purpurea (Walter) Blake. Common name: Savanna Obedient-plant. Phenology: Late May-Nov; Jun-Sep. Habitat: Wet savannas, savanna-swamp ecotones, ditches adjacent to former pinelands. Distribution: Ec. NC south to s. FL, west to sw. GA and Panhandle FL.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: Cantino (1982) discusses clinal variation within P. purpurea.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Fl6, GW2, K4, WH3, Cantino (1982); = Dracocephalum denticulatum Aiton — S; = Physostegia obovata (Elliott) Godfrey ex Weath. — F; < Dracocephalum purpureum (Walter) E.M.McClint. ex Gleason — RAB; Prasium purpureum Walter. Basionym: Prasium purpureum Walter 1788
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
Heliophily ⓘ: 9
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© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Physostegia purpurea, Wayne County, Georgia 2 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of wet savannas, savanna-swamp ecotones and ditches adjacent to former pinelands.
Stems: Stems 4-angled and ridged, simple, smooth.
Leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate or sessile (may be clasping above), lance-shaped, to 6 in. long (upper leaves much reduced and uppermost pair often no larger than the floral bracts), bluntly toothed to entire.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers closely spaced along a purplish-red-tinged, finely hairy terminal raceme; deep purple-pink; 1 1/2-2 in. long; bilaterally symmetric; tubular and inflated, with darker splotches within, opening to 2 spreading lips, the lower one 3-lobed. The purple-tinged, tubular calyx is shorter, has 5 triangular lobes and is finely hairy.
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Comments:
Height: 1-3 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of wet savannas, savanna-swamp ecotones and ditches adjacent to former pinelands.
stems: Stems 4-angled and ridged, simple, smooth.
leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate or sessile (may be clasping above), lance-shaped, to 6 in. long (upper leaves much reduced and uppermost pair often no larger than the floral bracts), bluntly toothed to entire.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers closely spaced along a purplish-red-tinged, finely hairy terminal raceme; deep purple-pink; 1 1/2-2 in. long; bilaterally symmetric; tubular and inflated, with darker splotches within, opening to 2 spreading lips, the lower one 3-lobed. The purple-tinged, tubular calyx is shorter, has 5 triangular lobes and is finely hairy.
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native range: NC, SC, GA & FL
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