Sabatia difformis
Sabatia arenicola
lance-leaf sabatia, lanceleaf rose gentian, white sabatia
coast rose-gentian, sand rose-gentian
1–several, clustered, proximally terete, distally sometimes ± 4-angled but not winged, 2.5–10.5 dm, branching opposite throughout.
generally single, 4-angled with wings to 0.3 mm wide, 0.3–2(–3.2) dm, branching alternate or proximally occasionally opposite.
all cauline at flowering time;
blade linear-lanceolate to narrowly or occasionally widely elliptic-ovate, 1–4(–6) cm × 3–14(–22) mm.
all cauline at flowering time;
blade elliptic to ovate or proximal occasionally obovate, 0.6–2(–2.7) cm × 2–9(–13) mm.
corymboid dichasia of compact cymules;
pedicels 1–8(–15) mm.
open cymes;
pedicels 2–40(–70) mm.
5(or 6)-merous;
calyx tube shallowly campanulate, 1–2(–3) mm, midveins somewhat more prominent than commissural veins, low-ridged, commissural veins scarcely ridged, lobes narrowly lanceolate to filiform, (2–)4–9(–14) mm;
corolla white throughout (sometimes drying cream to yellow), tube 2.5–6 mm, lobes oblanceolate, (5–)7–21 × 2.5–8 mm, apex rounded;
anthers recurving.
5-merous;
calyx tube campanulate, 3.5–8.5 mm, commissural veins more prominent than midveins, ridged, lobes oblong-lanceolate to narrowly ovate-triangular, 3–20 mm;
corolla white to pink, eye white to pale yellow, projections of eye into corolla lobes oblong, without a contrasting border, tube 2–5 mm, lobes spatulate-obovate, 4–10(–13) × 2–8(–11) mm, apex obtuse to subacute;
anthers remaining straight or slightly coiling circinately.
= 36.
= 28.
Sabatia difformis
Sabatia arenicola
A historical record of Sabatia difformis from Maryland is documented, but no recent collections or reports are known from that state. Old reports of S. lanceolata from New York and Tennessee, for which no documentation was found in studies for this flora, are believed to be erroneous, probably based on misidentifications or misapplications of the name.
The name Sabatia paniculata (Michaux) Pursh is typified by a specimen of S. difformis but has often been misapplied to S. quadrangula (R. L. Wilbur 1955).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Plants of Sabatia arenicola are densely leafy throughout. The vegetative parts are more succulent than those of the other species of Sabatia and darken upon drying (a useful character in identifying herbarium specimens). The mid-stem leaves of S. arenicola are mostly elliptic, widest near the middle, whereas those of S. campestris and S. formosa, to which it is most closely related, are mostly lanceolate to ovate, widest near the base.
Although Sabatia arenicola appears to be largely autogamous, it is now quite well isolated temporally from S. formosa. Molecular evidence indicates introgression of genetic material from S. formosa into part of the range of this species (N. B. Bell and L. J. Lester 1978).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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