Rhexia mariana L. var. exalbida Michx.

White Meadow Beauty

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

White Meadow Beauty is a native herbaceous perennial in the Melastome family (Melastomataceae). It can be found in the southern-most counties of Alabama. White Meadow Beauty occurs around depression ponds, in wet pine savannas, and on wet roadsides. It has a fibrous root system and slender, elongate rhizomes. It often forms extensive clones. The stems grow from one to two feet in height, and are branch near the top. The stem is four angled with the faces distinctly unequal at mid-stem. One pair of opposite faces is broad and rounded, the other is narrow and flat. The angles of the stems are not winged and the stem is pubescent with spreading hairs. Leaves are opposite and toothed. They are linear in outline, finely serrate, and pubescent. Flowers are produced in cymes. Each flower has four white or pale pinkish petals and eight stamens with large bright yellow curved anthers. The petals fall of easily, and individual flowers only last one day. The fruit is a capsule that is shaped like a vase. The fruit is glabrous or slightly glandular pubescent. White Meadow Beauty is sometimes treated as a species, but intergrades with var. mariana throughout much of its range.—A. Diamond.

**

Native

**