Bluet; Rose Bluet

Bluet; Rose Bluet Hustonia rosea (Hedyotis rosea). A tiny, early blooming plant common in lawns, or spaces where vegetation suffers winter die back. The entire plant grows no more than 2” high, each stalk bearing a single, upright, cup-shaped flower with four petals ranging from bright blue to pale lavender to white.  Each flower appears to have a yellow cross in the middle, where the stamen form. The tiny, rounded leaves, born in opposite pairs along thin stems, are slightly succulent, and lacking petioles, clasp the soft stems.  the weakly upright, weakly branching stems loosely grow between stems of dormant grass.  New buds emerge from the crown of the plant as it grows.  Lawns (Not in Book) 2/12/19 – ; 2/18/20 – 3/22/20;

Note; light blue, four petal flowers born singly on very short stems

Woolyleaf, Pringle’s Woolyleaf

Pringle’s Woolyleaf Eriophylum pringlei. This miniaturized, fuzzy, grey-green plant of roadsides or heavily mowed areas rarely looks like a succulent and is rarely more than 3” tall.  Several stems arise from the same rhizome like root system, rarely branching, but retaining a crowded, compact form.  The short, elliptical leaves are densely clustered around the soft stems in a tight spiral, the uppermost leaves surrounding a dense cluster of tiny yellow-white flowers.  Seed capsules are tiny pods with 3-4 holes, like salt shakers, from which the miniscule seeds are shaken out when struck by rain drops or disturbed by passing feet.  (206 Soccer, roads, path edges, PL.) 4/28/15-5/20/15;  4/15/16; 17 not recrd; 4/22/18; 4/7/19; 20 not recrd;

Pringle’s Wooleyleaf habit; very short,  grey-green, fuzzy miniature that tolerates mowing, the alternating spiral of thick leaves supporting a compact head of tiny, yellowish flowers

Note; dense clusters of small, fuzzy, elliptical, grey green leaves which end in terminal bunch of flowers

Note; the thick leaves resemble a succulent

Note; dense bunches of tiny yellow flowers embedded in rosettes of fuzzy leaves

Note; seed capsules are punctuated with 3-4 tiny holes, like salt shakers

Winecups

Winecups (Purple Poppymallow) Callirhoe involucrate. A low, pithy perennial with deeply cleft, narrow, palmate leaves arranged along the creeping stems in an alternating spiral.  The plant freezes back every winter, but buds anew from a deeply rooted tap-root, growing out in a multi-branched radial pattern.  The plant is inconspicuous until the flowers open, the bright red catching the eyes, even from a distance.  Chalice-like, deep burgundy-red flowers up to 1.5” across are born singly on long (4”) upright stems arising from leaf axils, the petals becoming white toward the center. Curly stamens sprout from the sides of a central pistol, with curled, filament like stigma, like other mallows.  Seed capsules are a round, wheel-like structure framed by the stiff bud sepals. Intolerant of shade, Winecups are found scattered widely in open country, even lawns, where their stems grow out over surrounding vegetation. (238) 4/10/15-; 3/20/16-6/6/16; 3/21/17- ; 4/22/18; 4/3/19; 4/11/20;

Winecups habit; stiff sprawling plant of open grassy areas, with palmate leaves and deep burgundy flowers born on long, slender stems

Note; five fingered, palmate leaves with narrow, deeply cut lobes held aloft on long, smooth stems bud off the main stem in an alternating spiral

Note; open, loose spikes of flowers bud off of leaf axils, each flower born aloft on long, smooth stems

Note; the five stiff sepals crack open, allowing the burgundy petals to unfurl.

Note; single born, chalice like 5 petal, rose-purple flowers, fading to white in the center

Note; curly stamens tipped with orange to yellow anthers bud directly off the central pistol, like other mallows

Note; hard, round wheel like seed capsule framed by the 5 stiff sepals

Violet, Missouri Violet

Missouri Violet (Wood Violet) Viola missouriensis. The only violet native to the ILC, this herbaceous perennial sprouts a cluster of deeply notched, cordate (heart-shaped) to arrow-shaped leaves.  Each flower stem produces a single, short-lived flower composed of two upright, light blue sepals, two lower, deep violet-blue petals, and a central, modified petal called a lip that sports three or four darker purple streaks.  The petal is modified into a small opening leading to a short, rounded nectar tube, just large enough for insects to insert their tongues.  Flowers convert to thin seed capsules full of tiny, dust like seeds.  Blooming season lasts 2-3 weeks.  Locally it is found only in shaded areas along forested trails where there is deeper, moist soil, but occasionally in yards, where it tolerates mowing.  Only found in low areas of MK trace, CC, SWk (378) 3/15/15-4/7/15; 3/10/16-4/1/16; 2/22/17-4/5/17; 3/15/18-4/2/18;

Missouri Violet habit; clumps of lightly toothed, heart-shaped leaves with single blue and white flowers born on short stems.

Note; glossy, smooth, heart shaped leaves with a lightly toothed, rounded margins, born on slender stems 3-4”long

Note; two upright, lavender petals, two darker purple petals that point down, a central, purple lip petal streaked with dark purple

Veronica; Birdseye Speedwell

Veronica; Birdseye Speedwell Veronica persica. This branched, creeping, lawn plant is characterized by soft stems with opposite, heart-shaped, fuzzy, clasping leaves, with lobed edges. The blue and white flowers, each with four petals, are 3/16” across, and are born singly from leaf axils.  Three petals are light blue and rounded, with heavy dark blue veining clustered around a white center.  The fourth petal is a light blue and elongated, like a lip.  Two hooked anthers arc over the central, spike-like pistol. Common in lawns and road margins, preferring shade, and intolerant of hotter weather. [Not in book] (354 related) 3/12/15-4/28/15 Rain and cool weather prolonged 5/20/15; 2/14/16-6/1/16; 2/23/17-4/?; 3/5/18; 2/8/19 – ; 2/8/20 – 5/29/20;

Veronica Speedwell habit; cool season, shade loving ground cover and lawn plant with rounded, clasping leaves bearing single, bright blue and white flowers.

Note; opposite pairs of rounded leaves clasp the creeping, soft stalks

Note; blue flowers with white centers are born singly from leaf axils

Note; low growing habit as an early season ground cover, common on lawns and margins

Note; rounded, lobed, opposite leaves with no petiole.

Note; three bright blue petals, one light blue to white petal.

Note; 4 white stamen arc over the central  spike-like pistol

Three Fans

Three Fans (Ratany) Krameria lanceolata. An unusual, sprawling perennial with multiple, long (12”) reddish stems radiating out from a central taproot, working their way through surrounding vegetation.  Small (1”), slightly hairy, elongated oval leaves, with no petioles are arranged alternately along the stems.  The dark red flowers, which could be mistaken for an Orchid, are about ¾” across, born singly on short peduncles, composed of 5 pointed petals around an odd-shaped, green pistol.  The stigma is a three lobed projection, fringed in red, rising from a green bubble flanked by two “wings”, referred to as ‘fans’.  Chalky flats, otherwise uncommon locally. (328) 5/10/15-5/20/15; 5/10/16- ; 17 no observation; 5/1/18; 19 no obs; 5/5/20

Three Fans habit; long, creeping reddish stems, coated with fine hairs, with alternating, elongated leaves, and dark red flowers

Note; sparse, oblong, slightly hair leaves alternating along reddish, trailing stems that are lined with soft, white hairs

Note; red flowers, each with 5 petals, arranged around a green pistol with three, fringed ‘fan’ like projections

Note; flowers born singly on short peduncles

Note; two white anthers next to a prominent stigma, mid-pistol

 

Storksbill, Texas Storksbill

Texas Storksbill (Desert Storksbill) Erodium texanum.  A low growing ground cover with three lobed, slightly hairy, dark green leaves, the side lobes each with two smaller lobes, and the much bigger middle lobe with three lobes.  Beginning as a rosette of branching, green stems, the plant radiates out from a central tap root to soon become a mat of overlapping, fleshy leaves.  Small clusters (3-5) of elongated buds form on short spikes at leaf nodes, from which small flowers up to ½” across, solid pink to lavender, each with 5 petals, emerge.  The central pistol is divided into 5 lobes, the 5 stamen branching off the base of the pistol.  Each flower cluster produces one or two needle shaped seed pods slightly longer than E cicutarium, the more common Storksbill.  The plant gets its name from the pods, which imaginatively resemble a stork’s bill.  Common on bare ground, like road sides, E texanum tolerates drier conditions.  No pictures of flowers (292) 5/5/15; 16 17 no observation; 18 no obs

Texas Storksbill habit; note the sprawling habit of green stems, roughly triangular, 5 lobed leaves

Note; small clusters of pink to lavender, 5 petal flowers

Note; very long, needle shaped seed capsules

Spurge, Spotted Spurge

Spotted Spurge (Prostrate Sandmat) Euphorbia maculata (Chamaesyce). A small ground cover common on disturbed or barren ground with reddish stems lined with very small (1/8”-1/4”), opposite leaves, which grows in a radial pattern out from a central tap-root, giving it a circular floor-mat appearance.  It has many alternative names, milk purslane, spotted matweed, creeping spurge, sand-mat, prostrate spurge ….  The nonsymmetric, elongated, finely toothed leaves are thicker on the trailing edge, green on the upper surface, purple on the underside.  Miniscule white flowers sprout from leaf axils and terminal buds, each with five narrow petals.  Flowers convert to small globular seed capsules. Broken stems and leaves produce a milky sap.  Most common on roadsides, bare soil and poor lawns. (not in book) 6/1/15; 6/15/16- ; 17 not recrd; 6/12/18; 19 not recrd;

Spotted Spurge habit; soft mats of leafy stems growing out in a radial pattern from a central tap root, often forming radial patterns of growth

Note; smooth, elliptical to nonsymmetric, toothed leaves arranged in opposite pairs, on reddish stems that bleed white sap when cut

Note; nonsymmetric, toothed leaves arranged in opposite pairs producing flowers from leaf axils and terminal nodes

Note; leaves are green on the upper surface, purple on lower surface.

Note; tiny white flowers and small seed capsules

Vetch, Spring Vetch

Spring Vetch (Garden Vetch) Vicia sativa. This early blooming, sprawling legume grows thick bunches of compound pinnate, frond-like leaves that alternate along the short, vine like stem.  Each leaf is comprised of 8 paired leaflets on a mid-rib, which ends with a forked climbing tendril.  Foliage resembles Locoweed, or Milk Vetches except that only Spring Vetch has climbing tendrils on the ends of leaves.  Pairs of small, pea-like, lavender and pink flowers are born on three inch stems that branch directly off central stalks, opposite the leaves.  Seed pods are round and bean-like, turning black before they crack and curl open.  Vetches bloom until the weather turns hot.  Common on all open spaces, but ceasing to bloom when the weather gets hot, and going dormant as other vegetation outgrows them. (324) 2/12/14; 3/19/15 – 5/5/15; 2/25/16; 2/27/17-5/2/17; 3/5/18; 3/23/19 ; 1/27/20 – 4/?/20;

Spring Vetch habit; dense clumps of vine-like stems with alternating, pinnate (frond-like) leaves, each ending with a forked tendril, bearing pairs of pink, pea like flowers

Note; alternating, pinnate (frond-like) leaves, each ending with a forked tendril, form sprawling clumps

Note; bean-like seed pods that turn black and curl, expelling the bean like seeds

Note; pairs of small lavender and pink, pea like flowers, born on 3” stems, branching off vines opposite the leaves

Note; each flower is composed of a large, flat, banner petal, and two perpendicular wing petals that house the pistol and stamen

Sorrel, Violet Sorrel

Violet Sorrel Oxalis violacea. Growing from underground, nut like corms, this sorrel sends up long (6-8”), soft stems, each supporting one large, green or burgundy leaf with 3 squared off, triangular lobes 1.5” or more across.  The squared lobes droop, or tent around the stem.   The slender flower stalks arise from the base of leaves, sending up a single, dense, umbel cluster of deep, cup shaped flowers, white to light pink.  Mostly grown in flower gardens, O violacea tastes like ascorbic acid.  The burgundy leaves make a good addition to salads, or gardens.  Does not grow naturally on the ILC (298) 4/20/15-; 3/1/16; 2/18/17-?; 3/5/18; 2/25/19; 2/20/20;

Violet Sorrel habit; dense clumps of triangular, deep purple leaves that tent around the long stems, bearing umbels of white to pink flowers

Note; dense clumps of deep burgandy to purple leaves, divided into three triangular leaflets, with zonal mottling along the midrib

Note; dense umbels of deep, white to pink flowers, the 5 petals fusing into a tube marked by greenish base.

Note yellow pistols and stamen deep in the throat.