Sophronanthe
Nat. Syst. Bot., 445. 1836.
| Taxon | Illustrator ⠉ | |
|---|---|---|
 | Sophronanthe pilosa Stemodia durantifolia Littorella americana | Barbara Alongi Barbara Alongi Barbara Alongi |
Herbs, perennial; caudex thick, hard. Stems ascending to erect, villous (hairs jointed), rarely glabrous. Leaves cauline, sometimes also basal, opposite; petiole absent, sometimes present on basal leaves; blade not fleshy, leathery, margins entire or serrate. Inflorescences axillary, flowers 1 or 2 per node; bracts present. Pedicels present or absent; bracteoles present, 2. Flowers bisexual; sepals 5, distinct, linear to linear-lanceolate, calyx ± bilaterally symmetric, campanulate; corolla white, sometimes tinged purple or pink, bilaterally symmetric, bilabiate to bilabiate and personate, tubular to salverform, tube base not spurred or gibbous, lobes 5, abaxial 3, adaxial 2, throat hairy; stamens 2, medially adnate to corolla, filaments glabrous, pollen-sacs parallel to filaments, connective not dilated; staminodes 0 or 2, minute; ovary 2-locular, placentation axile; stigma crateriform. Fruits capsules, dehiscence septicidal, sometimes also loculicidal. Seeds ca. 200, yellow to brown or black, ovoid to short-cylindric, wings absent.
Distribution
se United States
Discussion
Species 2 (2 in the flora).
The two species of Sophronanthe often have been included in Gratiola or in the monospecific genera Sophronanthe (S. hispida) and Tragiola (S. pilosa). Molecular and morphological data support the monophyly of Sophronanthe (D. Estes 2008), which is sister to Gratiola in the narrow sense.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
Key
| 1 | Leaf blades 0.7–3 mm wide, linear to lanceolate-ovate, margins prominently revolute; corollas salverform, 7–16 mm. | Sophronanthe hispida |
| 1 | Leaf blades 4–11 mm wide, lanceolate to ovate, margins not or slightly revolute; corollas tubular, 5–9 mm. | Sophronanthe pilosa |