Agalinis purpurea (L.) Pennell
Purple false foxglove, smooth gerardia
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass Asteridae A large class that encompasses asters
Order Lamiales Aromatic herbs and shrubs, including lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, ash, teak, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, mint, basil, and rosemary
Family Orobanchaceae Broomrape family of parasitic plants
Genus Agalinis Botanical Latin: “remarkable flax”
Species purpurea Greek “purple”
About plant names...
Purple false foxglove is a North American native plant.
Plants: 4-40″ (10-101 cm) tall, hairless,
supported with delicate four-angled
stems that flop over if there is no nearby vegetation.
Stems and leaves turn purple in early fall.
Leaves: Opposite , linear , ¾-1¾″ (1.9-4.4 cm) long,
and thinner than most grass blades. Some leaves branch into smaller leaves.
Flowers: Lavender- to purple- to pink-colored flowers appear in loose
racemes . They are roughly trumpet-shaped, with the trumpet pointing sideways but bending upward; and bilaterally symmetrical , with two upper lobes, two lower lobes, and a bottom lobe. Flowers are ½-1″ (1.3-2.5 cm) in size.
The central throat of each flower is white, with purple spots. Flowers appear August to September.
Fruits: Flowers are replaced by shiny seed-filled
rounded capsules ⅛-¼″ (3.2-6.3 mm) in diameter.
Online References:
Illinois Wildflowers
Www.jeffpippen.com
Delawarewildflowers.org
Minnesota Wildflowers
Maine.gov’s Department of Conservation Maine Natural Areas Program
Luirig.altervista.org
References:
Clemants, Steven; Gracie, Carol, Wildflowers in the Field and Forest , Oxford University Press, 2006
9/4/2013 · Amos Kendall Conservation Area, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (12 × 19 cm)
4/14/2015 · Long Pine Key, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 14 cm)
8/23/2013 · Andres Institute of Art, Big Bear Mountain, Brookline, New Hampshire · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
10/27/2017 · Bemis Road Conservation Area, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm)
8/23/2013 · Andres Institute of Art, Big Bear Mountain, Brookline, New Hampshire · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)
7/31/2012 · Bemis Rd Conservation Area, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
9/1/2012 · Bemis Rd Conservation Area, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
9/4/2013 · Amos Kendall Conservation Area, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 8″ (14 × 20 cm)
9/24/2017 · Andres Institue of Art, Big Bear Mountain, Brookline, New Hampshire · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
4/12/2015 · Shark Valley, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)
8/28/2021 · Otter Brook Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 3½ × 2½″ (9.4 × 6.3 cm)
Older scientific or horticultural names
Agalinis purpurea (L.) Pennell var. carteri Pennell
Gerardia purpurea L.
Gerardia purpurea L. var. carteri (Pennell) Pennell
Gerardia purpurea L. var. grandiflora Benth.
Gerardia purpurea L. ssp. parvula Pennell
Agalinis purpurea description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 23 Sep 2021.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
9/10/2016 · Worcester Road Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
The purple leaves are the Agalinis. The green ones are a grass. · 9/13/2020 · Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine · ≈ 4 × 6″ (11 × 16 cm)
9/1/2012 · Bemis Rd Conservation Area, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
9/4/2013 · Amos Kendall Conservation Area, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (12 × 19 cm)
8/28/2020 · Jack’s and Litchfield Trails, Chase Reserve, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
7/31/2012 · Bemis Rd Conservation Area, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm)
8/28/2020 · Jack’s and Litchfield Trails, Chase Reserve, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)
9/1/2012 · Bemis Rd Conservation Area, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
9/1/2012 · Bemis Rd Conservation Area, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 10 × 15″ (26 × 39 cm)
9/17/2021 · Woodward Point Preserve, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 3½ × 6″ (9.4 × 14 cm)
10/27/2017 · Bemis Road Conservation Area, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm)
4/12/2015 · Shark Valley, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)
8/17/2020 · Otter Brook Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 4 × 6″ (11 × 16 cm)
8/17/2020 · Otter Brook Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (14 × 10 cm)
Range:
About this map...
Home   
Species