Blephilia ciliata

Stems 4-8 dm, closely puberulent with recurved hairs 0.1-0.5 mm; main lvs lanceolate to ovate, 3-6 cm, entire or sometimes with a few teeth, sessile or subsessile; verticils usually 3-5, crowded into a continuous terminal spike 2-5 cm, or the lowest verticil sometimes separate, hemispheric and subtended by numerous ovate to obovate, closely appressed bracts about equaling the cals; cal 7-9 mm, the lower lobes 1.1-1.7 mm, extending past the sinuses of the upper lip; cor pale blue with purple spots, 11-14 mm. Woods; Mass. to s. Mich. and Wis., s. to Ga. and Ark. Plants of Ill., Ky., and Mo. grow in moister, more shaded places and have wider lvs with broader, often rounded base than the more n. and e. plants.

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

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From Flora of Indiana (1940) by Charles C. Deam

Found throughout the state although we have no reports for the counties bordering Lake Michigan. This is a species generally of open dry places but sometimes it is found in moist places in dense shade such as the base of wooded ravines where it develops long, stoloniferous branches which root at each node. These creeping branches have leaves which vary greatly in shape, some truncate and even cordate at the base. Blatchley had such a specimen from Monroe County, which I now have, which he reported to be Meehania cordata. The specimen is the creeping form of this species which had not yet developed a flowering head. Also when it grows in dense shade it sometimes develops a pubescence much like that of the next species [Blephilia hirsuta]. This species rarely develops branches. I have one specimen with axillary heads on peduncles up to 5 cm long. I have an albino specimen from Noble County. I recommend this species highly for cultivation both for its beauty and for its long flowering period. It is generally found in dry open woods, clearings, fallow fields, and along roadsides.

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Indiana Coefficient of Conservatism: C = 7

Wetland Indicator Status: n/a