The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

yellow hedge-hyssop

bractless hedge-hyssop, common hedge hyssop

Habit Annuals. Annuals.
Stems

ascending to erect, usually much-branched from base, 5–10 cm, glabrous.

decumbent to ascending or erect, simple or few-branched, (5–)15–22 cm, glabrous or glandular-puberulent distally.

Leaves

blade linear-lanceolate, 5–15 × 1–5 mm, margins entire or with 1 or 2 pairs of teeth distally, apex obtuse, surfaces glabrous.

blade linear-lanceolate to lanceolate-ovate, 7–20(–32) × 1.5–5(–7) mm, margins entire, rarely with 1 or 2 pairs of teeth distally, apex acuminate to attenuate, surfaces glabrate or glandular-pubescent.

Pedicels

slender, 4–10 mm, length 1–2.3 times bract, glabrous;

bracteoles 1, 1.5–4 mm.

stout, (3–)7–25 mm, length 0.5–2.5 times bract, glabrous or obscurely glandular-pubescent distally;

bracteoles 0.

Flowers

sepals distinct, linear to linear-lanceolate, 3–6 mm;

corolla 9–12 mm, tube yellow to orangish yellow, veins yellow to greenish yellow or brownish yellow, limb yellow;

style 3–5 mm.

sepals distinct, lanceolate, (4–)7–11 mm;

calyx slightly bilaterally symmetric;

corolla 5–8(–10) mm, tube yellowish green or yellow, veins purple, limb white to pinkish white;

style 2–3 mm.

Capsules

ovoid, 2–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm.

subglobular, 3–6 × 3.5–5 mm.

Seeds

0.3–0.4 mm.

0.4–0.9 mm.

Gratiola torreyi

Gratiola ebracteata

Phenology Flowering Mar–Apr. Flowering Apr–Sep(–Nov).
Habitat Wet, exposed soils in meadows, clearings in post oak woodlands, saline prairies. Muddy to sandy stream banks, pond and lake shorelines, shallow water, wet meadows, vernal pools.
Elevation 0–100 m. (0–300 ft.) 0–2100 m. (0–6900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
LA; TX
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The name Gratiola flava has been widely used for G. torreyi. F. W. Pennell (1935) synonymized G. torreyi with G. neglecta, stating that the type of G. torreyi (Wright s.n., NY) has white corolla lobes and yellow corolla tubes instead of entirely golden yellow corollas as reported by Small in the protologue of G. torreyi. The statement by Pennell appears to be in error.

M. H. MacRoberts et al. (2007) discussed historic and recent collections of Gratiola torreyi (as G. flava) from Louisiana. The provenance of collections attributed to Arkansas is equivocal (MacRoberts et al.).

Gratiola pusilla Torrey ex Bentham 1846 (not Willdenow 1797) is an illegitimate name and pertains here.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 268. FNA vol. 17, p. 266.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Gratiola Plantaginaceae > Gratiola
Sibling taxa
G. amphiantha, G. brevifolia, G. ebracteata, G. floridana, G. graniticola, G. heterosepala, G. lutea, G. neglecta, G. quartermaniae, G. ramosa, G. virginiana, G. viscidula
G. amphiantha, G. brevifolia, G. floridana, G. graniticola, G. heterosepala, G. lutea, G. neglecta, G. quartermaniae, G. ramosa, G. torreyi, G. virginiana, G. viscidula
Synonyms G. flava
Name authority Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 1066, 1338. (1903) Bentham ex A. de Candolle: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 595. (1846)
Web links