Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Magnoliids: Piperales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Hexastylis speciosa
FAMILY
Aristolochiaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Hexastylis speciosa is showier than H. finzelii and much showier than H. arifolia... but all three species have the characteristic, elongated, heart-shaped leaf, which makes for difficult identification until the leaf litter is brushed away from the base of the plant where the flowers appear. Read more in Jim Fowler's blog.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Hexastylis speciosa
FAMILY
Aristolochiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Hexastylis speciosa
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Hexastylis speciosa
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 3 (1997)
Hexastylis speciosa
SYNONYMOUS WITH New combinations in North American Asarum (Aristolochiaceae) (Barringer, 1993)
Asarum speciosum
SYNONYMOUS WITH A review of the taxonomy and biogeography of Hexastylis (Aristolochiaceae) (Gaddy, 1987)
Hexastylis speciosa
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Hexastylis speciosa
COMMON NAME:
Alabama Heartleaf, Alabama Ginger
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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Alan Cressler alc_40766179993_c
April Autauga County AL
Inside of calyx with numerous well-defined yellow & maroon stripes oriented toward flower center, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
)
Alan Cressler alc_47679636082_c
April Autauga County AL
Flower orifice usually facing laterally to ascending related to the plane of the substrate, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
)
Alan Cressler alc_49831973181_c
April Autauga County AL
Pedicels lax, causing flowers to rest on substrate or on top of other flowers, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
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Alan Cressler alc_6920589124_c
April Autauga County AL
Portions of larger leaves' sides straight or concave; leaves mottled, paler areas between veins, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
)
Alan Cressler alc_7066673093_c
April Autauga County AL
Lower portion of the calyx narrowly cuplike, abruptly expanded into a much broader upper half, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Hexastylis speciosa
FAMILY
Aristolochiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Hexastylis speciosa
FAMILY
Aristolochiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Hexastylis speciosa
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Hexastylis speciosa
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 3
Hexastylis speciosa
SYNONYMOUS WITH
New combinations in North American Asarum (Aristolochiaceae) (Barringer, 1993)
Asarum speciosum
SYNONYMOUS WITH
A review of the taxonomy and biogeography of Hexastylis (Aristolochiaceae) (Gaddy, 1987)
Hexastylis speciosa
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Hexastylis speciosa
4786
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Shaded forests along streams and bogs, per Weakley's Flora
Native to Alabama
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
LEAVES:
Evergreen
Simple
Plant acaulescent (without aerial stems). Leaves alternate, 2-ranked
RHIZOMES? STOLONS?
Rhizomatous
FLOWER:
Spring
Pale purplish/ Purplish-brown?
3-merous
3-lobed calyx abruptly contracted near the middle, the lower portion narrowly cuplike, abruptly expanded into a much broader upper half
Petals absent
12 stamens
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Spring
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
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".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".