Herbs [subshrubs or shrubs]. Stems ascending to decumbent, sparsely to diffusely, sometimes divaricately, branched, glabrous or scabrous [otherwise hairy]. Leaves sessile or petiolate, 1 pair or 2 closely spaced pairs forming pseudowhorl proximal to inflorescence; blade ovate, lanceolate, elliptic, oblong, rhombic, linear, obovate, or oblanceolate, venation 1 or 2 pairs of secondary veins from near base, curved along margins, not reaching apex. Inflorescences terminal [axillary], monochasial, 2–45-flowered; bracts and bracteoles subulate, 1–3(–7) mm, each flower subtended by (0–)2(or 3) bracteoles. Flowers: sepals persistent, often accrescent in fruit, shortly connate at base, green, linear, linear-lanceolate, lanceolate, or lanceolate-subulate [deltate]; corolla white, yellow, pink, or scarlet, funnelform or tubular [salverform, campanulate, or urceolate], glabrous [villous]; ovary superior; stigmas conic, capitate, or bulbous, unlobed or scarcely 2-lobed. Fruits capsules, green or brown, 4-valved, 2-lobed, dehiscence septicidal and loculicidal, circumscissile near base. Seeds tan to dark brown, obliquely ovoid, usually obcompressed, tuberculate or reticulate. x = 8.

Distribution

c, se United States, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, se Asia, w Africa.

Discussion

Species ca. 60 (7 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Spigelia alabamensis, Spigelia anthelmia, Spigelia gentianoides, Spigelia hedyotidea, Spigelia loganioides, Spigelia marilandica, Spigelia texana

Key

1	Corollas scarlet or pink (rarely white), 25–52 mm.	> 2
2	Rhizomes stout; cauline leaf blades 4–12 cm; corollas scarlet (rarely white) outside, yellow to greenish yellow (rarely pink) inside.	Spigelia marilandica
2	Rhizomes slender; cauline leaf blades 2–4 cm; corollas light pink outside, light pink to white inside.	> 3
3	Cauline leaf blades ovate, base rounded; corollas 25–30 mm, lobes barely opening at anthesis.	Spigelia gentianoides
3	Cauline leaf blades usually lanceolate to elliptic, rarely narrowly ovate, ovate, or obovate, base cuneate to rounded; corollas 36–50 mm, lobes spreading to reflexed at anthesis.	Spigelia alabamensis
1	Corollas white or whitish, 6–17 mm.	> 4
4	Plants annual; cymes 22–45-flowered; corollas 6–9 mm; s Florida.	Spigelia anthelmia
4	Plants perennial; cymes 2-flowered; corollas 7–17 mm; n Florida, Texas.	> 5
5	Stems 3+; cauline leaves: proximals with blades (1.2–)1.5–3(–3.5) × 0.3–1(–1.3) cm, distals usually opposite; open prairies and woods, thin, rocky soils; Texas.	Spigelia hedyotidea
5	Stems 1–3; cauline leaves: proximals with blades (1.4–)3–6.5 × (0.5–)0.9–1.7(–2.2) cm; distals usually pseudowhorled; riparian woodlands and swamps, clay to sandy soils; e Texas or Florida.	> 6
6	Corollas (7–)10–17 mm; Florida.	Spigelia loganioides
6	Corollas 8–11(–13) mm; Texas.	Spigelia texana