Leaves strictly annual, disintegrating in 1st year; blade elliptic or ovate to broadly ovate, 25+ mm wide, leathery, base rounded to lobate or cordate, margins crenate, teeth apices obtuse to rounded, surfaces hairy; basal veins extending into distal 1/2 of blade, lateral veins 3–6 on each side of midvein. Racemes erect, to 40 cm in fruit; sterile bracts 10–30, ovate-spatulate, largest 1+ cm; flowers 100+, densely aggregated (separating in fruit). Sepals 4. Petals (3 or)4, apex entire or erose; corolla yellow, bilabiate, tubular to ellipsoid, longer than calyx, hairy, lateral and abaxial petals connate ca. 1/2 their lengths, tube conspicuous. Stamens epipetalous. Ovaries puberulent to villous; ovules 17–40. Capsules hairy.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jun; fruiting May–Jul.
Habitat: Sandy prairies, sandy secondary deciduous forests.
Elevation: 100–400 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Ill., Ind., Iowa, Mich., Minn., Ohio, Wis.

Discussion

Synthyris bullii is protected throughout its range and may be extirpated in Ohio (NatureServe, www.natureserve.org).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.