Spigelia marilandica (L.) L.

Indian Pink; Woodland Pinkroot; Worm Grass

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Indian Pink is a native herbaceous perennial in the Logania family (Loganiaceae). It is probably found in every Alabama County. Indian Pink grows in rich hardwood forests, in ravines, along streams and in bottomland forests, and in rocky woods over limestone. It is a perennial with a fibrous root system and short rhizomes. There are usually several unbranched, erect stems from each rootstock that grow to a height of 1-2 feet. The stems are round in cross sections, green in color, and glabrous. Each stem has 4-7 pairs of opposite leaves. The leaves are ovate to lanceolate in outline, entire, and sessile. The leaves are pubescent on the veins or glabrous. The inflorescence is a terminal helicoid cyme. Each cyme produces 2-10 erect tubular flowers, each with 5 spreading triangular lobes. The flowers are scarlet on the outside and yellow on the inside. The flowers are pollinated by Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris). The fruit is a capsule containing a small number of irregularly angled and pitted black seed. Indian Pink is a popular wildflower that is available from many nurseries. Plants prefer a site with light shade to filtered sun and a soil that is rich in organic matter. Plants can also be obtained by division of clumps, rooting stem cuttings, or from seed. The seed should be planted soon after collecting and left outdoors over the winter. Seedlings will emerge in the spring. Indian Pink contains toxic alkaloids and calcium oxalate crystals and is usually not browsed by deer or rabbits.--A. Diamond

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Native

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