Purple four-petal from NC

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by Andrey Zharkikh, Sep 14, 2010.

  1. Andrey Zharkikh

    Andrey Zharkikh Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    I stumbled upon this photo from N Carolina and got puzzled...
    Four petals, eight drooping stamens, one undivided pistil. And funny looking jar-like fruits. Not sure if they belong to these flowers, but looks like they are also four-parted.
    The author of the photo has no clue what this is.

    Anyone gets an idea?

    http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/spelena10/view/292396


    Andrey
     
  2. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Rhexia sp., I think.
     
  3. Andrey Zharkikh

    Andrey Zharkikh Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Thank you, Daniel! It is Rhexia. A single genera from Melastomataceae growing in US. FNA does not have it online yet. And none of my keys even mentioned this family.
    Here are nice pictures of it:
    http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/plants/rhexia.htm
     
  4. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Thanks for including that link, Andrey. There are lots of nice looking and useful photos on that site.
     
  5. Andrey Zharkikh

    Andrey Zharkikh Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Sure! This guy definitely knows what his Nikon is for. But I want to ask him to fix one identification on the Utah page. One for Delphinium sp. To my guess this should be Polemonium ceruleum, Jacob's Ladder. Don't you think?

    http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/utah/utahwildflowers.htm
     
  6. Tyrlych

    Tyrlych Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Sure does not look like Delphinium.
    And one more: those named "Oenothera coronopifolia" -- leaves are wrong for coronopifolia. Looks more like O.macrocarpa.
     
  7. Andrey Zharkikh

    Andrey Zharkikh Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    That's true, O. coronopifolia is a caulescent, taller species, whereas one in Jeff's picture is more cespitose. I identified it as O. caespitosa. Just one another acaulescent species occurs only in the South Utah. O. macrocarpa does not grow in the wild here.
    Here is my pic of O. caespitosa, also with oak leaves in the background.
     

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