Amsonia hubrichtii
Amsonia kearneyana
Hubricht's bluestar
Kearney's blue-star
erect, (35–)52–130 cm, glabrous;
branches borne on distal portion of stem, much exceeding infructescence.
erect, 39–62(–90) cm, moderately (densely or sparsely) long-pubescent;
branches borne on distal part of stem, often exceeding infructescence.
petiole 0–3(–4) mm, glabrous;
blades slightly heteromorphic;
stem leaf blades linear, (5–)7.5–11 cm × 2–3.2(–4.2) mm, margins entire, revolute, not ciliate, apex narrowly acute, surfaces glabrous or sparsely short-pubescent on midrib and veins adaxially;
branch leaf blades linear, 5–10.5 cm × (0.8–)1–1.8(–2.4) mm.
petiole 1–3(–5) mm, densely to moderately pubescent (glabrous);
blades heteromorphic;
stem leaf blades lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate (narrowly oblong-elliptic), 5–7.6 cm × 11–17 mm, margins entire, often slightly revolute, ciliate with usually long cilia (rarely not ciliate), apex acute to acuminate, surfaces long-pubescent on midrib and main veins (rarely glabrous) adaxially;
branch leaf blades narrowly lanceolate, 4.3–5.7 cm × (3–)6–9 mm.
sepals deltate to narrowly deltate, 0.7–1.5 mm;
corolla tube blue (to purplish), 6–8 mm, lobes blue (to white, purplish), (4.5–)5.4–7.8 mm, outer surface of corolla glabrous.
sepals subulate, (3–)4–5(–6) mm;
corolla tube green to purplish, 12–14(–15) mm, lobes white, (2–)3–4 mm, outer surface of corolla glabrous.
7.5–11 × 1.6–2.2 mm.
6–11 × 3–4(–4.8) mm.
pendulous or erect, 7.5–13.8 cm × 2.5–3.4 mm, apex acute, glabrous.
erect, 3–10 cm × 3.5–5.5 mm, apex short-acuminate, glabrous.
Amsonia hubrichtii
Amsonia kearneyana
Amsonia hubrichtii resembles A. ciliata var. filifolia but is a much larger plant, with longer, adaxially lustrous leaves, and with narrower ecological preferences. It is confined to central and western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Amsonia kearneyana is endemic to the Baboquivari Mountains in Pima County; it is listed as endangered. The species is notable for its often densely long-pubescent pedicels and inflorescences and unusually short corolla lobes. These features are not unknown in the widespread and variable A. palmeri, although specimens of that species with corolla tubes longer than 12 mm are uncommon and typically have longer corolla lobes. The seeds of A. kearneyana are broader than those of any other species of subg. Sphinctosiphon.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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