Samolus valerandi

Cholewa 1992

Duration: Perennial Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Upright perennial facultative wetland species with erect to ascending stems 10-82 cm tall. Leaves: Cauline leaves 1-13 cm long, generally crowded to overlapping, petiolate or sometimes basally sessile, blades elliptic to obovate, margins entire. Flowers: Racemose panicle with leaf-like bracts on main axis and tiny bracts attached halfway or on upper half of pedicels, bearing 10 or more flowers; flowers white with short triangular calyx segments 1-2.5 mm long, shallowly lobed, corolla oblong-obovate, 1.2-3 mm long, with 5 lobes, 5 stamodia opposite the sepals, ovary partly inferior. Fruits: Valvate capsule. Ecology: Found in or along streams, seeps, springs and in moist meadows from 1000-5,500 ft (305-1676 m); flowers April-October. Notes: Similar to S. vagans but can be distinguished by the erect non-stoloniferous stems, crowded leaves and many flowers. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Samolus is thought to be a Latin word of Celtic origin referring to the plant-s curative power, while valerandi is thought to come from Latin valere meaning to be healthy or strong, parviflorus means many flowered. Synonyms: Samolus floribundus, Samolus parviflorus, Samolus valerandi subsp. parviflorus Editor: SBuckley, 2010