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Slender false foxglove

Agalinis tenuifolia (Vahl) Raf.

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Slender false foxglove leaves
Slender false foxglove
Slender false foxglove leaf
Slender false foxglove
Slender false foxglove
Slender false foxglove flowers

Morphology

Stem
Erect, simple or with ascending branches, mostly glabrous, dark green, drying black.
Leaves
Opposite, sessile, entire, linear, .4 to 2.5 inches long, 1/25 to 1/5 inch wide, slightly rough with short, stiff-hairs or glabrous, dark green.
Inflorescence
Raceme, flowers borne singly in upper leaf axils; bracts leaf-like below, progressively reduced upwards.
Flower
Stalks thread-like, 2/5 to 4/5 inch long, widely spreading to upward curving, glabrous; calyx bell-shaped, 1/10 to 1/5 inch long, 5-lobed; lobes broadly triangular, tips abruptly pointed; corolla weakly 2-lipped, 2/5 to 3/5 inch long, pink, magenta or pale purple, throat with purple or red spots; upper 2 lobes arched over anthers and stigma; lower 3 lobes spreading; margins of lobes fringed with hairs; stamens 4.
Fruit
Capsule, spherical, 1/6 to 1/4 inch long; seeds numerous, irregularly triangular, about 1/25 inch long, brown.

Ecology

Habitat
Low prairies, borders of stream and ponds, roadside ditches, open woods, flood plains; moist soils.
Distribution
Principally east 2/3; scattered in west 1/3 of Kansas

Practical Information

Uses
Native Americans took an infusion of slender false foxglove to treat diarrhea.

Additional Notes

Comments

Slender false foxglove is fairly common and widespread. It is parasitic on the roots of a variety of host plants, including grasses, pussy-toes, gray goldenrod, western yarrow, wild strawberry, and tall anemone.

Quick Facts
Plant Type
Wildflower
Family
Orobanchaceae - Broomrape Family
Life Span
Annual
Height
4-24 inches
Origin
Native
Last Updated
2025-02-15
Color Groups
Pink, Red & Orange Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Blooms: August, September, October