Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Erect or decumbent, simple or usually branched, angled, bristly-hairy.
- Leaves
- Alternate above, opposite basally; deeply pinnately-divided, .8 to 3.4 inches long, .4 to 2.4 inches wide, sparsely bristly-hairy; divisions 5-13, lanceolate to linear-oblong, margins entire or few-toothed.
- Inflorescence
- Solitary, on short stalks in or opposite leaf axils.
- Flower
- Small, inconspicuous; stalks mostly under 1/2 inch long; calyx 5-lobed; sepals lanceolate to triangular, united near base, tips pointed; corolla bell-shaped, 5-lobed, white to bluish or lavender, shorter than or equal to calyx; stamens 5, equal.
- Fruit
- Capsule, drooping, more or less spherical, 1/5 to 1/4 inch in diameter, coarse-hairy, subtended by persistent calyx; seeds usually 4, spherical, 1/10 inch, dark brown to black, finely network-veined.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Stream banks, waste ground, open woods, thickets, open prairie sites, moist disturbed areas; sandy soils.
- Distribution
- Throughout Kansas.
Practical Information
- Uses
- The seeds are eaten by small animals and ground-foraging birds.
Additional Notes
Comments
Named in honor of John Ellis, 1711-1776, an Irish-born merchant and naturalist who discovered that coral was formed by animals.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Hydrophyllaceae - Waterleaf Family
- Life Span
- Annual
- Height
- 4-16 inches
- Last Updated
- 2008-03-26
Color Groups
Blue, Purple, Lavender & Violet Wildflowers
White, Green & Greenish White Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: May, June, July