Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Lamiids: Gentianales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Sabatia capitata
FAMILY
Gentianaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Cumberland Rose-gentian at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Sabatia capitata
FAMILY
Gentianaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Lapithea capitata
COMMON NAME:
Cumberland Rose-gentian, Appalachian Rose-gentian
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_s_capitata_cumberl_11
July
Corolla lobes have a semicircular yellow patch at the base, per Gentians of the Eastern US (Drake, 2011).
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_s_capitata_cumberl_30
July
Leaves 1-2" long, lanceolate with acute tips, sessile or somewhat clasping, per Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005).
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_s_capitata_cumberl11b
July
Each flower subtended by two 1-2cm long, oblong to elliptic bracts, per Gentians of the Eastern US (Drake, 2011).
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_sabatia_capitata_25
July
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_sabatia_capitata_35
September
Corolla lobes elliptical or ovate to spatulate, tips usually rounded-obtuse, per Gentians of the Eastern US (Drake, 2011).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Sabatia capitata
FAMILY
Gentianaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Sabatia capitata
FAMILY
Gentianaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Lapithea capitata
3776
Forb
Annual/Biennial
Habitat: Sloping woodlands and meadows, over sandstone or shale, per Weakley's Flora
Native to Georgia & apparently North Carolina
Rare in GA (historically in NC, but not recently seen)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Opposite & basal
Leaves sessile
Margins entire
FLOWER:
Summer
Pale pink or white
with a yellow eye
Radially symmetrical
7-12 lobed campanulate calyx subtended by two bracts
7-12 lobed rotate corolla
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Gentians of the Eastern US (Drake, 2011) p168
- Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Georgia (Chafin, 2007) p317
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999) p064
- Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005) p223
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".