Houstonia purpurea L. var. purpurea

Detail
- Family
- Rubiaceae
- Botanical Name
- Houstonia purpurea L. var. purpurea
- Common Name
- Summer Bluets
- Synonym(s)
- Houstonia purpurea L., s.s.
- Flora of Virginia Name/Status
- Houstonia purpurea L.
- Comments
- All Virginia material is apparently var. purpurea. Var. calycosa Gray, native mostly west of the Appalachians, is distinguished by having leaves 3-7 times as long as wide and calyx lobes 4-7 mm (vs. leaves 1-3.2 times as long as wide and calyx lobes 1-3.5 mm in var. purpurea) and should be sought in the southwesternmost counties. Massey (1961) reported var. calycosa (as H. lanceolata (Poir.) Britt.) from several counties, but all but Craig Co. are phytogeographically improbable and no supporting specimens have been found. Terrell (1996) cited no specimens of var. calycosa from Virginia, but did cite one immediately adjacent from Kentucky (Pine Mtn.?).
- Habitat
- Dry forests and woodlands, thin soils around rock outcrops, clearings, road banks, and other disturbed habitats. Frequent to common in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont; frequent in the sw. Virginia mountains; rare in the nw. Virginia mountains.
- Native Status
- Native
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