Amsonia ciliata

Stems erect (basally ascending), (14–)15–49(–67) cm in flower, to 79 cm in fruit, glabrous or moderately pubescent; branches borne on distal portion of stem, often but not always exceeding infructescence. Leaves: petiole 0–4 mm, glabrous; blades at least slightly heteromorphic or all linear; stem leaf blades linear, ligulate, very narrowly elliptic to elliptic or very narrowly lanceolate, 2.5–6.5 cm × 3–15 mm, margins entire, slightly to strongly revolute, sometimes sparsely to moderately ciliate, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces glabrous; branch leaf blades linear to ligulate or very narrowly elliptic, 2.5–5.6 cm × 0.3–6 mm. Flowers: sepals deltate to very narrowly deltate, 0.8–1.8(–2) mm; corolla tube bluish, greenish above, 6–9(–10) mm, lobes blue (rarely to white, or in var. texana purplish blue), 5–9(–10) mm, outer surface of corolla glabrous (very rarely inconspic­uously pubescent). Follicles erect, (5.5–)6.5–13.5cm × 2–4 mm, apex acute, glabrous. Seeds (5–)5.5–8(–9.3) × 1.3–2.1 mm.

Distribution

sc, se United States.

Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Amsonia ciliata var. ciliata, Amsonia ciliata var. filifolia, Amsonia ciliata var. texana

Key

1	Distal stem and branch leaf blades very narrow, 0.3–1(–1.6) mm wide (rarely to 2.4 mm if unrolled), margins usually strongly revolute.	Amsonia ciliata var. filifolia
1	Distal stem leaf blades broader than branch leaves, at least 3 mm wide, margins slightly to strongly revolute.	> 2
2	Stems erect, seldom somewhat ascending at base, usually pubescent, less often glabrous; stem leaf blades ligulate to very narrowly elliptic (or very narrowly lanceolate), 2.5–6.5 cm × 3–10 mm; branch leaf blades linear to ligulate (very narrowly elliptic), 3–5.6 cm × 1–3 mm; corolla lobe margins not ciliate; North Carolina to Florida and Alabama.	Amsonia ciliata var. ciliata
2	Stems basally ascending or less often erect, glabrous; stem leaf blades narrowly elliptic to elliptic (ligulate), (3–)3.5–6.5 cm × (3.3–)5–15 mm; branch leaf blades linear to very narrowly elliptic, 3.2–5.6 cm × 2–6 mm; corolla lobe margins often minutely ciliate; Oklahoma, Texas.	Amsonia ciliata var. texana