Gypsophila paniculata

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 1: 407. 1753.

Common names: Perennial or tall baby’s-breath gypsophile paniculée oeillet d’amour
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 5. Treatment on page 154.
Revision as of 21:52, 16 December 2019 by FNA>Volume Importer

Plants perennial. Stems erect or ± sprawling, diffusely much-branched at or near crown, 4–10 dm, glabrous or occasionally glandular-puberulent or scabrous near base. Leaves cauline, bases not clasping; blade linear-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, larger leaves 2–9 cm × 2–10 mm, apex acute to acuminate, glaucous. Pedicels 1–20 mm, glabrous. Flowers: calyx 1–3 mm, lobes glabrous, apex rounded to obtuse; petals white or rarely light purplish pink, 1–4 mm. Capsules globose. Seed coats coarsely tuberculate. 2n = 34, 68 (both Europe).


Phenology: Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat: Fields, roadsides, beaches, other open, sandy, disturbed sites
Elevation: 0-2600 m

Distribution

V5 313-distribution-map.gif

Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., N.W.T., Ont., Que., Sask., Calif., Colo., Conn., Fla., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Maine, Mass., Mich., Minn., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.J., N.Y., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., S.Dak., Utah, Vt., Wash., Wis., Wyo., Eurasia.

Discussion

Gypsophila paniculata, which is widely cultivated as a garden ornamental and florists’ crop, occurs rather sporadically in eastern North America, mostly in waste places, although it occasionally forms sizeable local populations in soils that are not strongly acidic. In parts of central and western North America, in contrast, it has become an abundant and widespread weed in hayfields and pastures, often being dispersed as a tumbleweed. Its roots may extend four meters into the soil. It has been designated a noxious weed in California, Washington, and Manitoba. Also, there is concern that the spread of G. paniculata in the dune-swale complexes around the upper Great Lakes presents a threat to some of the rare species that are largely restricted to these habitats (K. D. Herman 1996).

Botanical varieties of Gypsophila paniculata have been based on the distribution of pubescence on stems and leaves, but are doubtfully worthy of taxonomic recognition. Both glabrous-stemmed plants and plants with proximally glandular-puberulent stems are naturalized in North America. Cultivars have been selected for compact habit, supernumerary petals, petals to ca. 8 mm, and/or pink petals. Occasional naturalized plants have purple-tinged pedicels and calyces. A form with supernumerary petals has spread from cultivation in northern Michigan. The ploidy level(s) of populations in the flora area have not been investigated.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Gypsophila paniculata"
James S. Pringle +
Linnaeus +
Perennial or tall baby’s-breath +, gypsophile paniculée +  and oeillet d’amour +
Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, N.W.T. +, Ont. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Conn. +, Fla. +, Idaho +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Kans. +, Maine +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Mont. +, Nebr. +, Nev. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.Dak. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, S.Dak. +, Utah +, Vt. +, Wash. +, Wis. +, Wyo. +  and Eurasia. +
0-2600 m +
Fields, roadsides, beaches, other open, sandy, disturbed sites +
Flowering summer–fall. +
darwent1975a +
Psammophiliella +
Gypsophila paniculata +
Gypsophila +
species +