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Aureolaria flava (Linnaeus) Farwell. Common name: Smooth Oak-leech. Phenology: Aug-Sep; Sep-Oct. Habitat: Oak forests and woodlands, hemiparasitic on Quercus subgenus Quercus. Distribution: ME west to MN, south to GA, c. peninsular FL, AL, and e. LA.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: The various named varieties or subspecies need additional study; the variation seems too clinal to be practically recognized taxonomically.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Fl7, Mi, NY, RAB, Tn, Va, W, WH3; < Aureolaria flava (L.) Farw. — FNA17, Mo3; > Aureolaria flava (L.) Farw. ssp. flava — S, Tat; >< Aureolaria flava (L.) Farw. ssp. flava — S; > Aureolaria flava (L.) Farw. ssp. macrantha Pennell — Pennell (1935); > Aureolaria flava (L.) Farw. ssp. reticulata (Raf.) Pennell — S, Tat, Pennell (1935); > Aureolaria flava (L.) Farw. ssp. typica Pennell — Pennell (1935); >< Aureolaria flava (L.) Farw. var. flava — C, G, K4, NE, Pa; > Aureolaria flava (L.) Farw. var. macrantha Pennell — C, G, Il, K4, Pa, Tx; > Gerardia flava L. var. flava — F; > Gerardia flava L. var. macrantha (Pennell) Fernald — F; > Gerardia flava L. var. reticulata (Raf.) Cory — F; Gerardia flava Linnaeus. Basionym: Gerardia flava L. 1753

Links to other floras: < Aureolaria flava - FNA17

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Heliophily ⓘ: 5

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image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Ann Walter-Fromson | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect perennial found in oak forests and woodlands.

Stems: Stems smooth, often purplish and unbranched or with several stiff, ascending branches above.

Leaves: Leaves opposite to subopposite, with a petiole-like tapered base, elliptic-lance-shaped to oval-lance, 2--6 in. long, at least lower ones deeply and irregularly divided, whitish beneath and smooth or finely hairy.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers on stout, ascending stalks in pairs along a terminal raceme, yellow, 1¼--1¾ in. long, bilaterally symmetric, tubular, smooth on the outside and densely furry within and with 5 spreading, broadly rounded lobes that are shorter than the tube.

Fruits: Fruit a smooth, oval capsule.

Comments: This species is partially parasitic on the roots of trees in the white oak group.

Height: 2-5 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial found in oak forests and woodlands.

stems: Stems smooth, often purplish and unbranched or with several stiff, ascending branches above.

leaves: Leaves opposite to subopposite, with a petiole-like tapered base, elliptic-lance-shaped to oval-lance, 2--6 in. long, at least lower ones deeply and irregularly divided, whitish beneath and smooth or finely hairy.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers on stout, ascending stalks in pairs along a terminal raceme, yellow, 1¼--1¾ in. long, bilaterally symmetric, tubular, smooth on the outside and densely furry within and with 5 spreading, broadly rounded lobes that are shorter than the tube.

fruits: Fruit a smooth, oval capsule.

comments: This species is partially parasitic on the roots of trees in the white oak group.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



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