Rhexia nashii Small

Hairy Meadow Beauty; Maid Marian

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Hairy Meadow Beauty is a native perennial in the Melastome family (Melastomaceae). It can be found in the southern half of Alabama. Hairy Meadow Beauty grows in bogs, in seeps, in wet pinelands, in roadside ditches, and along streams and ponds. It is colonial from creeping horizontal roots. The roots sometimes form small tubers. Stems are from 18-24 inches in height. The stems are pubescent and 4-sided. The sides are unequal with two narrow and two wider. Leaves are opposite, ovate to lanceolate in outline, and pubescent on both surfaces. The leaves have short petioles and the margins are serrate. Flowers are produced in open cymes. The four petals are lavender and glandular pubescent on their lower surface. This is best seen when in bud. The fruit is a capsule enclosed by the hypanthium. The seed are shaped like a snail shell. Hairy Meadow Beauty is similar to Maryland Meadow Beauty (Rhexia mariana Linnaeus), and was classified as a variety of it at one time. It differs in having usually darker colored flowers, usually wider leaves, and always glandular hairs on the lower surfaces of the petals. Hairy Meadow Beauty is usually not available commercially, but is easily grown from seed. It prefers a wet, acidic soil and full to partial sun.--A. Diamond

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Native FACW+ (NWPL)

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