OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Lamiids: Gentianales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Houstonia purpurea   FAMILY Rubiaceae   Go to FSUS key



SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Houstonia purpurea var. purpurea   FAMILY Rubiaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Houstonia purpurea var. purpurea

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Houstonia purpurea var. purpurea

INCLUDED WITHIN The Genera of Cinchonoideae (Rubiaceae) in the southeastern US (Rogers, 1987)

Hedyotis purpurea

INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 173-08-005:

Houstonia purpurea   FAMILY Rubiaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Houstonia purpurea

 

COMMON NAME:
Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm230418_2591

April    Pickens County    SC

Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm230418_2604

April    Pickens County    SC

Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm120517_894

May    Yancey County    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm210516_0439

May    Greenville County    SC

Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm230523_3376

May    Greenville County    SC

Watson-Cooper Heritage Preserve

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm230523_3383

May    Greenville County    SC

Watson-Cooper Heritage Preserve

Leaves with pubescence ciliate on the leaf margin, on the midrib, and scattered on the surface, per Weakley's Flora (2023).

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm230523_3385

May    Greenville County    SC

Watson-Cooper Heritage Preserve

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm230531_3589

May    Greenville County    SC

Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

Diane Creaton    dmc03319

June    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm090610_074

June    Transylvania County    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

Numerous white to lavender flowers on short pedicels in terminal cyme, per Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005).

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm090610_074b

June    Transylvania County    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

Calyx lobes 1-7mm long, per Weakley's Flora (2020).

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm090610_074c

June    Transylvania County    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

Corolla tube 5-7mm long, granular to densely pubescent within, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm090610_079

June    Transylvania County    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

Stem leaves opposite, ovate, 1-2" long, >0.5" wide, with 3-5 main veins, per Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005).

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm100626_125

June    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

Flowers funnelform & in clusters; leaves ovate-lanceolate & sessile, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm140627_427

June    Transylvania County    NC

Foothills Trail

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm230713_4379

July    Greenville County    SC

Watson-Cooper Heritage Preserve

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm0311f_03

November    Rutherford County    NC

Chimney Rock Park

image of Houstonia purpurea, Summer Bluet, Mountain Bluet, Woodland Bluet, Purple Bluet

JK Marlow    jkm221108_0641

November    Greenville County    SC

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Houstonia purpurea   FAMILY Rubiaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Houstonia purpurea var. purpurea   FAMILY Rubiaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Houstonia purpurea var. purpurea

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Houstonia purpurea var. purpurea

INCLUDED WITHIN The Genera of Cinchonoideae (Rubiaceae) in the southeastern US (Rogers, 1987)
Hedyotis purpurea

INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 173-08-005:
Houstonia purpurea   FAMILY Rubiaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Houstonia purpurea

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

699

Forb
Perennial

Habitat: Moist and dry woodlands and forests, thinner soils around rock outcrops, and in a variety of disturbed sites, such as paths, old roads, and roadbanks, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Common (rare in Coastal Plain)

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

LEAVES:
Simple
Opposite (basal leaves absent or withered at flowering)
Margins entire

FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Lavender/Pinkish/White
Radially symmetrical
4 sepals
4-lobed funnelform corolla
4 included stamens
Bisexual

FRUIT:
Summer
Capsule

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


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