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Note: Experts seem to agree that Phacelia species are difficult to differentiate. Foliage is usually not determinant, blossoms and seed being more reliable. These IDs should be considered in that light..
| Scientific Name | Phacelia coerulea (Phacelia caerulea) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | PHCO |
| Common Name | Skyblue Scorpionweed, Skyblue Phacelia | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 31471 |
| Family | Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Gravelly and arid calcareous hills and banks, sandy-gravelly stream beds, and rocky ledges. Plant: Delicate annual up to 24 inches tall; many reddish stems, simple or branched and covered with gland-tipped and non-glandular hairs. Leaves: Variable; stem leaves alternate and a basal cluster may occur; basal and stem leaves on slender petioles 3/8 to 2 inches long; lower blades oblong to ovate in outline, 3/4 to 3+ inches long and 3/8 to 1 inch wide, the edges deeply sinuate to pinnatifid with broadly rounded lobes; upper deeply sinuate; leaf surfaces covered with gland-tipped and non-glandular hairs. Inflorescence: Many small bell-shaped blossoms grouped together in terminal coiled (scorpioid) clusters 5/8 to 2-3/4 inches long; each blossom about 1/8-inch long with 5 overlapping violet-blue or white corolla lobes; bluish to dark violet stamens within or barely extending past the corolla; bluish style about the same length and stamens; 5 oblanceolate to spatulate sepals with gland-tipped and non-glandular hairs. Bloom Period: March to May. References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, A Revision of the Phacelia Crenulatae group for North America by N. Duane Atwood and SEINet. |
BONAP Distribution Map |
Texas Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Phacelia congesta | USDA PLANTS Symbol | PHCO2 |
| Common Name | Blue Curls, Blue-curls | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 31473 |
| Family | Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Sandy, gravelly or rocky soils; found often in shady areas; widespread throughout Texas. Plant: Leafy erect or ascending annual or biennial, stems 8 inches to more than 3 feet tall with densely hairy/sticky foliage; often growing in colonies. Leaves: Variable; mostly coarsely once or twice pinnately-divided or pinnatifid, 2-3/8 to 5-1/2 inches long and 1 to 1-5/8 inches wide overall, with 3 to 7 broad lobes or divisions, each lobe coarsely toothed and soft; upper leaves on petioles. Inflorescence: Many small bell-shaped blossoms grouped together in coiled (scorpioid) clusters, each corolla less than 1/2-inch across with 5 overlapping blue to puplish lobes that are entire (not crenulate or dentate); protruding stamens with yellow anthers. Bloom Period: March to June. References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, "Wildflowers of Texas" by Michael Eason, "Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country" by Marshall Enquist, "Shinners & Mahler’s Flora of North Central Texas" by Diggs, Lipscomb and O’Kennon and SEINet |
BONAP Distribution Map |
Texas Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Phacelia integrifolia | USDA PLANTS Symbol | PHIN |
| Common Name | Gypsum Phacelia | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 504272 |
| Family | Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Sandy, rocky, gypseous or calcareous soils in desert scrub and wooded areas. Plant: Stout, leafy, erect annual or biennial, stems 6 to 24 inches tall with densely hairy/sticky foliage. Leaves: Alternate stem leaves, oblong to narrowly-ovate, 3/4 to 2-3/4 inches long and 1/4 to 3/4-inch wide; margins crenate to shallowly-pinnatifid; surfaces with fine, glandular hairs; lower leaves petiolate and upper leaves usually sessile or nearly so. Inflorescence: Many small bell-shaped blossoms grouped together in coiled (scorpioid) clusters, each corolla less than 1/2-inch across with 5 overlapping blue to purplish or white lobes; protruding purple filaments with blue anthers; 5 oblanceolate to spatulate sepals with gland-tipped and non-glandular hairs. Bloom Period: March to August. References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, www.americansouthwest.net and SEINet |
BONAP Distribution Map |
Texas Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Phacelia patuliflora | USDA PLANTS Symbol | PHPA4 |
| Common Name | Sand Phacelia, Purple Phacelia | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 31568 |
| Family | Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf) | Wildflower Center Ref. | Click Here |
| Description | Habitat: Sandy soils along streambanks, woodland openings, prairies, roadsides. Plant: Low, sprawling or weakly upright annual; slender stems up to 1 foot long. Leaves: Alternate, oblong to broadly oval in outline, shallowly lobed or toothed edges; 3/4 to 4 inches long and 3/8 to 1-5/8 inches wide; lower leaves petiolate, upper, sessile. Inflorescence: Several blossoms in a curled terminal raceme, each flower about 1 inch across with 5 blue to lavender petals and white centers; flower looks similar to Baby Blue-eyes (Nemophila phacelioides. Bloom Period: March to May. References: "Wildflowers of Texas" by Geyaya Ajilvsgi, "Wildflowers of Texas" by Michael Eason, and "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston. |
BONAP Distribution Map |
Texas Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Phacelia popei | USDA PLANTS Symbol | PHPO |
| Common Name | Pope's Scorpionweed, Pope's Phacelia | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 31576 |
| Family | Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Sandy or rocky soils, sometimes in limestone or gypsum environments; open areas and roadsides. Plant: Erect annual 2 to 14 inches tall; branching stems from base, hairy, somewhat glandular. Leaves: Alternate, narrowly oblong in outline, 3/4 to 3 inches long; pinnate to bipinnate-divided, linear or lanceolate divisions; surfaces strigose to glandular hairs. Inflorescence: Small bell-shaped blossoms crowded together in terminal coiled (scorpioid) clusters; each blossom about 1/4-inch long with 5 overlapping blue to purplish lobes; stamens extending past the corolla, style slightly longer than stamens; 5 oblanceolate to spatulate sepals shorter than petals with gland-tipped and non-glandular thick, stiff hairs (hirsute). Bloom Period: April and May. References: "Wildflowers of Texas" by Michael Eason, "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston and A Revision of the Phacelia Crenulatae group for North America by N. Duane Atwood. |
BONAP Distribution Map |
Texas Status: Native |
