Callisia ornata

Herbs, perennial, not or only scarcely cespitose, erect. Roots persistently densely woolly. Stems 20–50 cm. Leaves strongly ascending; basal leaf sheaths glabrous to puberulent; blade linear, (2–)10–25 × 0.1–0.4 cm (distal leaf blades much narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened). Inflorescences: bracts not distinct from bracteoles, usually minute, 1–3(–7) mm, scarious (rarely somewhat herbaceous). Flowers pedicellate; pedicels 1–1.5 cm; petals pink to rose, 9–13 mm; stamens 6; filaments bearded; ovary 3-locular. Capsules 3-locular, 3–5 mm. Seeds 1.5–2 mm.

Phenology: Flowering spring, fall.
Habitat: Coastal strand

Oak, pine, and palmetto woods and scrub, occasionally fields or roadsides, usually in sandy soil, Fla.

Discussion

A white-flowered form has been described from central Florida as Callisia ornata forma leucantha Lakela (O. Lakela 1972), but such color forms are hardly worth taxonomic recognition.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa