Cuphea glutinosa

Herbs perennial, 1–4 dm, with fibrous roots. Stems often several from base, erect to decumbent, branched or unbranched, glandular-hispid and puberulent. Leaves opposite, sessile or subsessile; petiole 0–1 mm; blade ovate-lanceolate to oblong or elliptic, 5–15[–20] × 2–7[–10] mm, base cuneate to rounded. Racemes leafy. Pedicels 0–3 mm. Flowers alternate, solitary, interpetiolar; floral tube green abaxially, purple adaxially, 5.5–8(–9) × 2–2.5 mm, sparsely glandular-hispid; base rounded, 0.5 mm; inner surface glabrous proximally, villous distal to stamens; epicalyx segments thick, not terminated by a bristle; sepals equal; petals (2–)6, oblanceolate or oblong, unequal, 4 abaxial ones pale purple and 4–4.7 × 2.5–2.8 mm, 2 adaxial ones purple [deep purple or with deep purple midvein] and 4 × 1.5–1.9 mm; stamens 11, reaching or surpassing sinus of sepals. Seeds 8–13(–20), suborbiculate in outline, 1.5–2 × 1.5–1.7 mm, margin rounded. 2n = 28, 32 (Bolivia), 34 (Paraguay).

Phenology: Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat: Moist areas in open woods and pastures.
Elevation: 10–200 m.

Introduced; La., Tex., South America.

Discussion

First noted in the United States in 1884 in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, Cuphea glutinosa is now more widespread in southern Louisiana and occurs in four counties in eastern Texas. The species is agamospermous in the United States, with sterile pollen but producing abundant seed. Sexually reproductive plants occur in eastern Brazil.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa