Amsonia ciliata
Fl. Carol., 98. 1788.
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
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 |