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yellow hedge-hyssop

branch hedge-hyssop

Habit Annuals. Perennials.
Stems

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

ascending to erect, simple or few-branched, 10–35 cm, glabrous or glabrate proximally, 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 × 1–3 mm, margins entire or with 1 or 2(or 3) pairs of blunt teeth distally, apex acute, surfaces glabrate or sparsely glandular-puberulent.

Pedicels

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

bracteoles 1, 1.5–4 mm.

slender to stout, 6–17 mm, length 0.8–2 times bract, sparsely to densely glandular-puberulent;

bracteoles 0 or 1, 0.8–1 mm.

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, linear to narrowly lanceolate or oblong, 3–6 mm;

corolla 10–14 mm, tube greenish yellow, veins yellow, brownish yellow, or purple, limb white;

style 2–4 mm.

Capsules

ovoid, 2–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm.

subglobular to ovoid, 1.2–2 × 1.2–2 mm.

Seeds

0.3–0.4 mm.

0.2–0.3 mm.

2n

= 14.

Gratiola torreyi

Gratiola ramosa

Phenology Flowering Mar–Apr. Flowering Apr–Oct.
Habitat Wet, exposed soils in meadows, clearings in post oak woodlands, saline prairies. Wet pine savannas, Carolina bays, shorelines of ponds, marshes.
Elevation 0–100 m. (0–300 ft.) 0–100 m. (0–300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
LA; TX
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; LA; MD; MS; NC; SC; VA
[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. 268.
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. ebracteata, G. floridana, G. graniticola, G. heterosepala, G. lutea, G. neglecta, G. quartermaniae, G. torreyi, G. virginiana, G. viscidula
Synonyms G. flava
Name authority Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 1066, 1338. (1903) Walter: Fl. Carol., 61. (1788)
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