Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Malvids: Myrtales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Epilobium coloratum
FAMILY
Onagraceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Purpleleaf Willowherb at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Epilobium coloratum
FAMILY
Onagraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 10 (2021)
Epilobium coloratum
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Epilobium coloratum
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 137-03-003:
Epilobium coloratum FAMILY Onagraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Epilobium coloratum
COMMON NAME:
Purpleleaf Willowherb, Bronze Willowherb, Eastern Willowherb
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_epco_001_lvd
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide pnd_epco_003_lvd
)
Gill Newberry gn09_e_coloratum_branch
September
There are some difficulties in distinguishing this and E. ciliatum in our area, per Weakley's Flora.
)
Gill Newberry gn09_e_coloratum_closeup
September
The flowers are less than 1/4" wide, with pink or white notched petals, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).
)
Gill Newberry gn09_e_coloratum_closeup2
September
Sepals ovate, 2.5-3mm long, pubescent, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
Gill Newberry gn09_e_coloratum_flowers
September
Leaves narrowly lanceolate & fine-toothed, their bases decurrent on the stem, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).
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Gill Newberry gn09_e_coloratum_habit
September
A freely branched perennial to 3' tall. Stem & branches often red-purple, per Wildflowers of Tennessee (Carman, 2005).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Epilobium coloratum
FAMILY
Onagraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Epilobium coloratum
FAMILY
Onagraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 10
Epilobium coloratum
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Epilobium coloratum
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 137-03-003:
Epilobium coloratum
FAMILY
Onagraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Epilobium coloratum
515
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: seepages, streambanks, other moist open places, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common in NC Mountains, uncommon in SC Mountains & NC Piedmont (rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Mostly opposite
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Pinkish, white
4-merous
4 sepals
4 petals
8 stamens
Inferior ovary
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Newcomb's Wildflower Guide (Newcomb, 1977) p140
- Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast (Cotterman, Waitt, & Weakley, 2019) p352
- Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia (Chafin, 2016) p263
- Wildflowers of Tennessee (Carman, 2005) p149
- Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005) p185
- Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998) p109
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
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