Hackelia patens (Nutt.) I.M.Johnst.

  • Authority

    Gentry, Johnnie L. & Carr, Robert L. 1976. A revision of the genus Hackelia (Boraginaceae) in North America north of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 26: 121-227.

  • Family

    Boraginaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hackelia patens (Nutt.) I.M.Johnst.

  • Description

    Species Description - Perennial (l-)2.5-8 dm tall; stems from a taproot and compactly branched caudex, erect or ascending, one to several, generally grayish below, the hairs mostly or all appressed, retrorse below, antrorse from about the middle upward, sometimes the middle and lower stem hispid-hirsute or hirsute with spreading hairs, the appressed hairs then absent below. Leaves strigose or subappressed-hirsute, sometimes hirsute and with evidently pustulate-based hairs; basal leaves usually persistent, (2-)6-15(-27) cm long, (5-)8-15(-34) mm wide, petiolate, obtuse or acute; cauline leaves strongly ascending, (2-)2.5-9.5(-11.5) cm long, (2-)5-10(-20) mm wide, oblanceolate or oblong to lanceolate, generally sessile and long ciliate near the bases, acute or obtuse, upper leaves sometimes subclasping, progressively smaller upward, the bracts small and conspicuous, present only at the base of the inflorescence. Pedicels 5-20(-30) mm long in fruit. Calyx lobes 1.5-2.5 mm long, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, subappressed hirsute-hispid. Corolla limb white marked with distinct bluish spots or sometimes with a bluish tinge throughout in addition to the darker blue spots, 6-ll(-14) mm wide, the tube 1.5-2.2(-2.4) mm long, shorter than to slightly exceeding the calyx lobes. Fomices with appendages papillate-hairy, about as broad as long, the protuberance about 2 times as long as broad. Anthers 0.7-1.1 mm long. Nutlets 2.5-3.5(-4) mm long, ovate; dorsal surface verrucose-hispidulous, the intramarginal prickles present, much shorter than the marginal ones, 0.1-0.6 mm long, (4-)6-15 or very rarely absent; marginal prickles distinct at their bases or slightly connate, (1.5-)2-3 mm long, 5-7 on each side, a long and a short prickle alternating.