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branching sabatia, four-angle sabatia, fourangle rose gentian

pinewoods rose-gentian, spider rose-gentian

Habit Herbs biennial. Herbs annual.
Stems

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.

single, terete or slightly 4-ridged but not angled or winged, 1.5–5(–6.5) dm, branching opposite or alternate.

Leaves

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.

cauline and often also basal present at flowering time;

basal blades widely oblong-spatulate;

cauline blades abruptly differentiated, linear, 1–10 cm × 1–3 mm.

Inflorescences

cymes of compact cymules;

pedicels 1–2(–4) mm.

flowers solitary or in dense, few-flowered clusters, sessile.

Flowers

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.

7–12-merous;

calyx tube widely campanulate, 3–8 mm, not ridged, lobes setaceous, 3–17 mm;

corolla pink, eye greenish yellow, projections of eye into corolla tube oblong, without a border, tube 6–10 mm, lobes oblanceolate to narrowly spatulate-obovate, 12–30 × 4–11 mm, apex rounded to obtuse;

anthers slightly twisting helically, not coiling circinately.

2n

 = 32, 34.

 = 28.

Sabatia quadrangula

Sabatia gentianoides

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer. Flowering late spring–fall.
Habitat Fields, open pine woods, granite outcrops. Open wet pine woods, pine savannas, wet meadows, roadsides.
Elevation 0–300 m. (0–1000 ft.) 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; NC; SC; VA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

The name spider rose-gentian is derived from the appearance of the involucre subtending each solitary flower or cluster of a few flowers, which comprises two to four or more closely spaced pairs of narrowly linear leaves.

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

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. macrophylla, 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. grandiflora, S. kennedyana, S. macrophylla, S. quadrangula, S. stellaris
Synonyms Lapithea gentianoides
Name authority Wilbur: Rhodora 57: 22. (1955) Elliott: Sketch Bot. S. Carolina 1: 286. (1817) — (as Sabbatia)
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