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

large-leaf sabatia, largeleaf rose gentian

branching sabatia, four-angle sabatia, fourangle rose gentian

Habit Herbs perennial, not stoloniferous. Herbs biennial.
Stems

several, clustered, terete, 5–14 dm, branching opposite throughout.

usually single, occasionally 2–several, 4-angled with wings 0.1–0.5 mm wide, 1.5–5(–7.5) dm, branching all opposite or secondary and/or tertiary occasionally alternate.

Leaves

all cauline at flowering time;

blade lanceolate to ovate-oblong or ovate, 2.5–6(–8.5) cm × 5–30(–45) mm.

basal and cauline or only cauline present at flowering time;

basal blades spatulate-obovate;

cauline blades linear-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, 0.8–2.5(–6) cm × 3–8(–18) mm.

Inflorescences

corymboid dichasia of compact cymules;

pedicels 1–5 mm.

cymes of compact cymules;

pedicels 1–2(–4) mm.

Flowers

5-merous;

calyx tube campanulate, 1–2 mm, mid- and commissural veins about equally prominent, not ridged or with low, narrow ridges, lobes triangular to linear-subulate, 0.1–3 mm;

corolla white or cream throughout, tube 2–4 mm, lobes oblong-oblanceolate, 4–7(–9) × 2–3(–4) mm, apex rounded to obtuse;

anthers recurving.

5-merous;

calyx tube widely obconic to campanulate, 1.5–3(–3.5) mm, mid- and commissural veins about equally prominent, low-ridged, lobes linear-subulate or rarely wider, 2–8(–11) mm;

corolla white throughout (sometimes drying yellow or salmon) or occasionally with a yellow eye, projections of eye into corolla lobes, when present, triangular, without a contrasting border, tube 2.5–7 mm, lobes oblanceolate to narrowly spatulate-obovate, 4.5–15 × 1.5–6 mm, apex rounded to obtuse;

anthers coiling circinately.

2n

 = 32, 34.

Sabatia macrophylla

Sabatia quadrangula

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer.
Habitat Fields, open pine woods, granite outcrops.
Elevation 0–300 m. (0–1000 ft.)
Distribution
from USDA
se United States
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; NC; SC; VA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

The inflorescences of Sabatia macrophylla are nearly flat-topped and usually contain more flowers than those of other Sabatia species. The relatively small, closely spaced flowers give this species a distinctive aspect. It further differs from S. difformis in its glaucous stems and leaves.

Sabatia macrophylla is restricted to central and southern Georgia, northern Florida, and southern Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, mostly but not exclusively (in Georgia) near the Gulf Coast. The range of var. macrophylla extends farther west than that of var. recurvans.

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

The name Sabatia paniculata (Michaux) Pursh was misapplied to this species for many years but is typified by a specimen of S. difformis (R. L. Wilbur 1955).

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

Key
1. Calyx lobes erect or spreading, shorter than or ± as long as tube.
var. macrophylla
1. Calyx lobes recurved, longer than tube.
var. recurvans
Source FNA vol. 14. FNA vol. 14.
Parent taxa Gentianaceae > Sabatia Gentianaceae > Sabatia
Sibling taxa
S. angularis, S. arenicola, S. arkansana, S. brachiata, S. brevifolia, S. calycina, S. campanulata, S. campestris, S. capitata, S. decandra, S. difformis, S. dodecandra, S. foliosa, S. formosa, S. gentianoides, S. grandiflora, S. kennedyana, S. quadrangula, S. stellaris
S. angularis, S. arenicola, S. arkansana, S. brachiata, S. brevifolia, S. calycina, S. campanulata, S. campestris, S. capitata, S. decandra, S. difformis, S. dodecandra, S. foliosa, S. formosa, S. gentianoides, S. grandiflora, S. kennedyana, S. macrophylla, S. stellaris
Subordinate taxa
S. macrophylla var. macrophylla, S. macrophylla var. recurvans
Name authority Hooker: Compan. Bot. Mag. 1: 171. (1836) — (as Sabbatia) Wilbur: Rhodora 57: 22. (1955)
Web links