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Hudson bay eyebright

Stems

simple or branched, to 35 cm;

branches 1–5 pairs, from distal cauline nodes;

cauline internode lengths (1–)2–5 times subtending leaves.

Leaves

blade lanceolate to ovate, 5–12(–16) mm, base strongly cuneate, margins serrate to incised-serrate, teeth 1–5 pairs, apices subacute to acute.

Inflorescences

beginning at node 2–9;

proximal internode lengths 1–2.5 times bracts, distal shorter than bracts;

bracts green, sometimes purplish adaxially, broader than leaves, elliptic to ovate, length not more than 2 times width, 7–15(–20) mm, base strongly cuneate, surfaces +/- hirsute and hairs eglandular, teeth 2–6(or 7) pairs, as long as or longer than wide, apices acute, sometimes aristate.

Flowers

corolla white, adaxial lip tinged lilac, 5–6.5 mm, lips +/- equal.

Capsules

narrowly oblong, 4–7.5 mm, apex truncate to emarginate.

Euphrasia hudsoniana

Phenology Flowering summer.
Habitat Gravelly, sandy, grassy, and rocky places, often calcareous, coastal or shores of streams and lakes.
Elevation 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
MI; MN; AB; LB; MB; ON; QC
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Euphrasia hudsoniana has been reported from Alberta; the voucher specimen supporting that occurrence has not been verified by the author.

The status of var. contracta P. D. Sell & Yeo and var. ramosior P. D. Sell & Yeo is unclear. Some specimens identified as var. contracta represent precocious states of var. hudsoniana. Variety ramosior specimens look very different from typical var. hudsoniana, resembling the hybrid Euphrasia nemorosa x E. hudsoniana. But variation in their characters is consistent, particularly their minute corollas and type of pubescence, which is not typical of Euphrasia hybrids.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 498.
Parent taxa Orobanchaceae > Euphrasia
Sibling taxa
E. arctica, E. disjuncta, E. farlowii, E. frigida, E. micrantha, E. mollis, E. nemorosa, E. oakesii, E. ostenfeldii, E. randii, E. salisburgensis, E. stricta, E. subarctica, E. suborbicularis, E. tetraquetra, E. vinacea, E. wettsteinii
Name authority Fernald & Wiegand: Rhodora 17: 194. (1915)
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