Fine-leaf gerardia
Also known as: fine-leaf tomanthera, fine-leaf hairy-foxglove
Agalinis densiflora (Benth.) S.F. Blake
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Morphology
- Stem
- Erect, very leafy, much-branched, minutely and bristly hairy.
- Leaves
- Opposite, sessile, pinnately cleft into 3-7 rigid, linear to filiform segments, .75 to 1.5 inch long, bristly hairy; tips pointed.
- Inflorescence
- Spikes of flowers in upper leaf axils; bracts leaf-like, progressively reduced above.
- Flower
- Calyces narrowly funnel-shaped; lobes 5, lanceolate, margins fringed with hairs, tips pointed; corollas 5-lobed, 1 to 1.33 inch long, lavender to pinkish, throat with dark purple spots; lobes broadly rounded; margins fringed with hairs; stamens 4.
- Fruit
- Capsules, egg-shaped, about 1/3 inch long; seeds numerous.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Dry prairies and bluffs, most abundant on limestone soils.
- Distribution
- Principally in the Flint Hills of Kansas.
Additional Notes
Comments
Fine-leaf gerardia is water parasitic on the roots of other plants.
Synonyms
Alternative scientific names that have been used for this plant.
Scientific Name: Tomanthera densiflora
Full Citation: Tomanthera densiflora Pennell
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Orobanchaceae - Broomrape Family
- Life Span
- Annual
- Height
- 8-20 inches
- Last Updated
- 2025-02-15
Color Groups
Flowering Period
Blooms: August, September