Phacelia purshii Buckley

Miami Mist

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Miami Mist is a native annual herbaceous species in the Waterleaf family (Hydrophyllaceae). It is native to the northern half of Alabama. Miami Mist grows in hardwood floodplain forests, in mesic hardwood forest, and along streams. It is an annual with a tap root. Stems are erect to spreading, branched near the base, green in color, and pubescent. Leaves are alternate, elliptic to oblong in outline, the lower ones short petiolate and the upper ones sessile with clasping bases. The leaves are pubescent and pinnately lobed. Flowers are produced in a terminal cincinnus (a helicoid raceme). Individual flowers have a short pedicel and a 5-parted calyx. The calyx lobes are spatulate and pubescent. The corolla is campanulate to rotate in outline with a fringed margin. The filaments are pubescent. The corolla is pale blue with a cream center. The fruit is a capsule. Miami Mist is sometimes cultivated and seed are available from some nurseries. The seed should be planted in the autumn in the area where the plants are to remain. It prefers a rich moist soil in full to partial shade.--A. Diamond

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Native

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