Follow

• 

  Poaceae: Brachyelytrum erectum

  R. Neil Reese

  Brachyelytrum erectum is a perennial, tufted grass with a short, fibrous root system and sometimes creeping rhizomes, though it rarely forms dense colonies. The plant has upright to arching, slender stems (culms) that are typically unbranched, growing 40–100 cm tall. Leaf blades are alternate, thin, flat, and softly hairy, 10–30 cm long and 0.5–2 cm wide, tapering to a pointed tip, with margins that may be rough to the touch. The leaf sheath is open, and the ligule is a short fringe of hairs. The inflorescence is a narrow, nodding panicle (spike-like in appearance), 5–15 cm long, with few to several spikelets. Spikelets are one-flowered, about 1–1.5 cm long, with a long, straight or slightly bent awn extending from the lemma. The fruit is a small, brown, dry caryopsis (grain) about 3–5 mm long, maturing in late summer. Bearded Shorthusk is native to South Dakota, generally found in rich, moist to mesic deciduous woods, shaded slopes, and streambanks, especially in the eastern and central regions.

• 

  Poaceae: Bromus tectorum

  R Neil Reese

  Bromus tectorum is an annual grass with hollow, erect to ascending stems, 20-60 cm tall, with many soft white hairs on the lower leaves and stems and fewer hairs toward the top. The leaf blades are flat, 1-19 cm long and 1-5 mm wide. The ligule is membranous, 2 to 5 mm long, jagged along the top edge. The inflorescence is a panicle, 4-20 cm long, nodding to one side with arching branches. The lower branches have up to 8 spikelets per branch, with the upper usually with only 1 or 2. The pedicellate spikelets are lance-elliptic, 10 to 25 mm long, with a long awn. The spikelets contain 4-7 florets and one or more of the terminal florets may be sterile. The fruit is a 1-seeded grain. Cheatgrass blooms in May and June in disturbed areas throughout South Dakota.

• 

  Poaceae: Bromus tectorum

  R. Neil Reese

  Bromus tectorum is an annual grass with a fibrous root system that often penetrates deeply into the soil, reproducing solely by seed. The culms (stems) are slender, erect to ascending, and typically 20–70 cm tall, often loosely tufted and branching only at the base. The plant is densely covered in soft, fine hairs, giving it a downy texture throughout. Leaf blades are alternate, linear, 5–20 cm long and 2–5 mm wide, flat or loosely folded, and also softly hairy. Sheaths are open and hairy, with a membranous, notched ligule at the base of each blade. Flowering occurs in the late spring to early summer. The inflorescence is a loose, nodding panicle 7–20 cm long, often purplish at flowering, with slender, drooping branches. Spikelets are 1.5–3 cm long (excluding awns), each with 5–8 florets. Each floret has a lemma with a long, straight awn (10–15 mm) that becomes conspicuously sharp and barbed at maturity. The fruit is a slender, brown caryopsis (grain), maturing in early to mid-summer. Cheatgrass is introduced and invasive in South Dakota, rapidly colonizing disturbed ground, pastures, rangelands, roadsides, and open woods, found statewide but especially abundant in dry, open sites.

• 

  Poaceae: Cenchrus longispinus

  R Neil Reese

  Cenchrus longispinus is an annual grass with solid culms 20-60 cm tall. Multiple culms can be sprawling, ascending or erect, are smooth, often branching and mostly covered by the sheaths. The stem is often reddish at the base and light green above. The ligule is fringed with short, white hairs, 0.6-1.8 mm long. The sheath is contracted where the blade emerges, open at the front, and sometimes with a few long hairs at the constriction. The alternate leaves , 4-14 cm long, 3-7 mm wide, rough on the upper surface, mostly smooth on the lower, flat, folded lengthwise, or rolled up along the edges. The inflorescence consists of terminal and axillary spike-like clusters of burs, 2.5-10 cm long. Each bur has 30 or more spines of various sizes, the largest ones 3-5 mm long. There are with 2 or 3 spikelets per bur and 2 florets per spikelet, 1 fertile and the second staminate of sterile. The fruit are a single grain per spikelet that are retained within the bur. Sandbur blooms from July into September in disturbed ground throughout South Dakota.

• 

  Poaceae: Echinochloa muricata

  R. Neil Reese

  Echinochloa muricata is an annual grass growing from a fibrous root system. Stems are 30 to 100 cm in height, erect and robust, often branched near the top, usually smooth or slightly rough, with a round to slightly flattened cross-section. Leaves are alternate and linear-lanceolate, 10–30 cm long and 1–2 cm wide, with rough margins and a prominent midrib. The leaf sheath encloses the stem partially; the ligule is membranous, short, and translucent. Flowering occurs from mid to late summer (July–September). The inflorescence is a large, open, pyramidal to somewhat contracted panicle up to 20 cm long, composed of many spikelets. Each spikelet is flattened, lanceolate, about 3–6 mm long, green to purplish, bearing one to several florets. Spikelets have a scabrous (rough) surface covered with minute prickles (muricate texture), which gives the species its name. Each floret has three stamens and two feathery stigmas. The fruit is a small, oval caryopsis (grain), enclosed within a hardened lemma and palea, brown at maturity and 1.5–2 mm long, maturing in late summer. Rough barnyard grass is native to South Dakota, found in wetlands, ditches, floodplains, moist fields, and disturbed wet sites statewide, especially in eastern parts of the state.

• 

  Poaceae: Elymus canadensis

  R. Neil Reese

  Elymus canadensis is a perennial cool-season bunchgrass growing from a robust, fibrous root system forming clumps rather than sod. . Stems (culms) are sturdy, erect, rigid, and typically 60–150 cm tall, smooth to slightly rough. Leaves are alternate, flat, and linear, typically 10 to 30 centimeters long and 5 to 15 millimeters wide, with rough margins and a blunt or tapered tip and sheaths that tightly wrap the stem. Both basal and cauline leaves are present. The ligule is prominent, translucent, membranous, about 2 to 5 millimeters long, with a finely toothed or jagged margin. The inflorescence is a dense, spike-like raceme 10 to 30 centimeters long, composed of several spikelets arranged in two rows along the axis. Each spikelet is 10 to 15 millimeters long, containing 2–5 florets with awns 1–3 cm long. Flowers are bisexual, with three stamens with slender filaments and large anthers and a single pistil topped with two feathery stigmas The fruit is a caryopsis (grain), 5–7 mm long, brown at maturity, ripening in late summer. Canada wild rye is native to South Dakota, growing in prairies, open woodlands, roadsides, and disturbed sites statewide, with higher abundance in central and eastern regions.

• 

  Poaceae: Elymus repens

  R. Neil Reese

  Elymus repens is a perennial, cool-season grass that spreads aggressively via rhizomes, often forming dense mats. Stems (culms) are erect to arching, simple to sparingly branched, typically 30–120 cm tall, smooth or slightly roughened near the nodes. Leaves are alternate, flat, linear, typically 10 to 30 centimeters long and 5 to 12 millimeters wide, with rough margins, a pointed tip and sheathing bases. The ligule is membranous, about 2 to 4 millimeters long, with a jagged or irregular margin. The inflorescence is a slender, spike-like raceme 10 to 25 centimeters long, composed of numerous spikelets arranged in two rows along the axis. Spikelets are 10 to 18 millimeters long, each containing 2–4 florets with long awns often 3–6 cm in length giving the spikes a bristly look. Flowers are bisexual with three stamens and a single pistil crowned with two feathery stigmas. Fruits are caryopses (grains) about 4 to 7 millimeters long, enclosed by the lemma and palea. Seed maturation occurs from late summer to early fall. Quackgrass is native to Europe and parts of Asia. It is naturalized in South Dakota and considered an invasive weed, abundant in croplands, roadsides, disturbed soils, and pastures statewide.

• 

  Poaceae : Hierochloe hirta

  R. Neil Reese

  Hierochloe hirta is a perennial rhizomatous sod-forming grass with erect, hollow, hairless culms that grow 10 to 70 cm in height. The culms appear early in the spring and large tufts of basal leaves follow. The shiny leaf blades are rolled in the bud and flat at maturity, 10-30 cm long and 2-5 mm wide, with the 2-3 alternate culm leaves being much shorter and somewhat narrower, occasionally with hairs at the collar. The ligule of the culm leaves is membranous and 2-3 mm long. the inflorescence is a 4-9 cm long panicle of 3-floret spikelets, with the 2 lower florets having just stamens and the upper one being perfect. The 3 spikelets are surrounded by 2 bracts (glumes) that are usually membranous, hairless and slightly unequal in length. The bracts subtending the individual florets (lemma and palea) are often hairy. Sweetgrass blooms from May into July in wet meadows, sloughs and marshes in the northeastern and southwestern portions of South Dakota.

  Synonym: Anthoxanthum hirtum

• 

  Poaceae: Koeleria macrantha

  R.n Neil Reese

  Koeleria macrantha is a perennial bunchgrass typically growing 15 to 60 cm tall. It grows from a fibrous root system forming tufts or clumps. The stems are slender, erect, and generally glabrous or finely pubescent. Leaves are mostly basal and alternate along the stem, simple and linear, measuring about 5 to 15 cm long and 2 to 5 mm wide, with entire margins and smooth to slightly rough surfaces due to minute hairs. Leaf sheaths are open, smooth or slightly pubescent, and mostly shorter than the internodes. The ligule is membranous, short (1–2 mm), and rounded to truncate. The inflorescence is an open, narrow panicle that flowers from late spring to early summer (May–July). Spikelets are about 8 to 15 mm long, each containing several florets with three stamens per floret. The pistil consists of a single ovary with two feathery stigmas. The fruit is a small caryopsis (grain) about 2 to 3 mm long. In South Dakota, Junegrass is native and commonly found in dry prairies, open rocky slopes, and well-drained sandy or gravelly soils across much of the state.

• 

  Poaceae: Leymus cinereus

  R. Neil Reese

  Leymus cinereus is a robust perennial bunchgrass growing 60 to 150 cm tall. It has a fibrous root system with extensive rhizomes, allowing it to spread and form dense clumps. The stems are erect, round to slightly flattened, and typically glabrous or sparsely hairy. Leaves are alternate, simple, and linear, measuring about 15 to 40 cm long and 8 to 15 mm wide, with entire margins and smooth to slightly rough surfaces. Leaf sheaths are open, smooth or sparsely pubescent, and longer than the internodes. The ligule is a short, membranous fringe about 1 to 2 mm long. The inflorescence is a narrow, dense spike or spike-like panicle flowering from late spring to mid-summer (May–July). Spikelets are 10 to 20 mm long, each containing multiple florets. Flowers have three stamens, and the pistil consists of a single ovary with two feathery stigmas. The fruit is a caryopsis approximately 4 to 6 mm long. Basin wild rye is native to South Dakota and thrives in a variety of habitats including prairies, riverbanks, and disturbed sites, especially in well-drained soils.

• 

  Poaceae : Panicum virgatum

  R. Neil Reese

  Panicum virgatum is a rhizomatous perennial clump-forming grass, with multiple, erect hollow culms, that grows to 1.5 m tall. The leaves are all alternate, ascending to droopy, the leaf blades flat to rolled upward, 15-55 cm long and 5-11 mm wide, smooth to hair covered, particularly on the upper surface above the ligule. The ligule is 2-4 mm long consisting of a fringe of hairs on a membranous base. The inflorescence is a very open and diffuse panicle, 20-45 cm long, with slightly compressed, purplish spikelets, containing 1 fertile and 1 often staminate floret, surrounded by unequal bracts (glumes), the smaller 2.3-4 mm long and the larger 3.3-6 mm long, narrowly egg-shaped and tapering to a pointed tip. The glumes spread apart as the flower develops, with the stamens and styles becoming visible. A single grain develops in each spikelet. Switchgrass blooms from July through September in moist lowlands and prairies throughout South Dakota.

• 

  Poaceae: Phalaris arundinacea

  R. Neil Reese

  Phalaris arundinacea is a robust, perennial grass growing from a vigorous, rhizomatous root system. The roots are thick, fibrous, and rhizomes extend horizontally underground, allowing the rapid formation of dense colonies. Stems are erect, hollow, and can reach heights of 1 to 2.5 meters. The leaves are alternate, flat, and linear, 20 to 50 cm long and 1 to 3 cm wide, with rough margins and a prominent midrib. The leaf sheaths are open, and ligules are short and membranous. The inflorescence is a dense, cylindrical to spike-like panicle 5 to 15 cm long, blooming from late spring through summer (June–August). Spikelets are 5 to 7 mm long, each containing several florets with two glumes. Flowers have three stamens with yellow anthers and feathery stigmas. The fruit is a small caryopsis (grain) about 3 to 5 mm long, maturing in late summer. Reed canary grass is native to South Dakota and commonly found in wetlands, stream banks, marshes, ditches, and moist meadows throughout much of the state, especially in the eastern and central regions.

• 

  Poaceae : Phleum pratense

  R. Neil Reese

  Phleum pratense is a tufted perennial grass with smooth, hollow, erect, bulbous-based culms that grow 55-140 cm in height. The leaves are rolled in the bud and flattened at maturity. The blades are 3-27 cm long, up to 8 mm wide and occasionally rough to the touch. The leaf sheaths are open with a membranous ligule, 2-5 mm long, V-shaped at the front, white, and ragged at the top. The inflorescence is a cylindrical spike-like raceme of single-flowered spikelets, 2-25 cm long and < 1 cm wide. Each spikelet has a pair of equal bracts (glumes), 3 to 4 mm long including the awn. The fruit is a single grain, often retained within the glumes. Timothy blooms from late May into early August in pastures, along roadsides and in ditches scattered throughout South Dakota. This species was introduced as a forage grass and has become naturalized in many areas.

• 

  Poaceae: Phragmites australis

  R. Neil Reese

  Phragmites australis is a tall, perennial grass growing from an extensive, aggressive rhizomatous root system. The rhizomes are thick, woody, and spread horizontally underground, allowing the plant to form dense, often monoculture stands. The roots are fibrous and deeply penetrating, anchoring the plant in wet soils. Stems are erect, hollow, with a smooth texture, and can reach heights of 2 to 4 meters. The leaves are alternate, flat, and linear, 20 to 60 cm long and 2 to 5 cm wide, with rough margins and a pointed tip. The leaf sheaths are smooth, and ligules are short (> 1 mm) and membranous. The inflorescence is a large, feathery, plume-like panicle 15 to 40 cm long, blooming from August through September. Spikelets are small, about 4 to 6 mm long, each containing several florets. Flowers have three stamens with yellow anthers and feathery stigmas. The fruit is a small caryopsis (grain) about 2 to 4 mm long, maturing from September into October. is native to South Dakota or naturalized and occurs in wetlands, marshes, ditches, and along lakes and riverbanks statewide, particularly in lowland and floodplain areas.

• 

  Poaceae : Schizachyrium scoparium

  R. Neil Reese

  Schizachyrium scoparium is a tuft forming, perennial bunchgrass with short rhizomes and solid, slightly flattened culms that grow to 1 m in height. The leaf bluish colored blades are folded and sometimes rolled under, smooth to hair, especially near the collar, 4-30 cm long and up to 4 mm wide. The usually hairless sheath has a keel and the membranous ligule is fringed and < 2.5 mm long. The flowering culms are many branched, each terminating in a single spicate straight to undulating raceme, 2-6 cm long, the rachis and pedicels hairy. The copper colored spikelets occur in pairs, one sessile and perfect with bracts (glumes) 6-9 mm long, the other pedicellate and usually staminate with glumes 3-6 mm long. Little bluestem blooms from July into October on prairies throughout South Dakota.

• 

  Poaceae : Sorghastrum nutans

  R. Neil Reese

  Sorghastrum nutans is a perennial bunchgrass from a short rhizome with hollow, erect culms, 0.6-2 m tall, that have hairy nodes. The leaf blades are rolled in the bud and flat at maturity, 5-60 cm long, 3-12 mm wide, with a prominent midrib near the base. The sheath is smooth to hairy, with projections from the collar and joined to the firm, membranous ligule that is 2-7 mm long. The inflorescence is a condensed panicle, 11-27 cm long, bearing perfect spikelets with an associated naked pedicel. The inflorescence branches and pedicels are covered with white hairs. The hairy subequal, 5-8 mm long and brownish colored bracts (glumes) surround 2 florets, one fertile one and one sterile with a long, twisted awn. The anther are exerted, 3-5 mm long. Indian grass blooms from late July into October on open prairies scattered throughout South Dakota.

• 

  Poaceae : Zizania palustris

  R. Neil Reese

  Zizania palustris is an annual, solitary-stemmed grass that can grow to over 2 m tall. The erect culms are round, hollow and smooth except at the nodes where they can be hairy. There are both basal and alternat leaves on the culm. Early leaves float on the water’s surface. The leaf blades are rolled in the bud and flat at maturity, 5-100 cm long and 5-35 mm wide. The leaf sheaths are open, smooth with hairs at the collar and base, with a membranous ligule 7-20 mm long. the inflorescence is a much-branched panicle, 15-60 cm long, with male (staminate) spikelets below and female (pistilate) spikelets above. The branches are initially erect with the staminate ones spreading or drooping at maturity. The male spikelets are reddish in color, with 6 stamens that are 4-6 mm long. The female spikelets are paler, 12-15 mm long with a terminal awn 2.5-6.5 cm long. Both the staminate and pistilate spikelets lack glumes (bracts). The fruit is a dark, slender cylindrical grain up to 30 mm long and 2 mm wide. Northern wild rice blooms in July and August on the margins of streams lakes and ponds along the eastern and southern borders of South Dakota.

  Synonyms: Zizania aquatica var. interior, Z. interior

• 

  Polemoniaceae : Phlox pilosa

  R. Neil Reese

  Phlox pilosa is a perennial herb from a stout rootstock, with I-several branching stems with 6-12 nodes, growing 20-75 cm tall, covered with simple and/or glandular hairs. The simple, alternate, sessile leaves are narrowly lance-linear, 30-100 mm long, 3-30 mm wide and hairy, especially along the entire margins and the midvein. The inflorescence is a panicle with up to 100 flowers with pedicels usually les than 10 mm long and covered with glandular hairs. The calyx is 8-15 mm long, the tube and 5 lobes about equal in length and covered with glandular hairs. The white, pink or purple corollas have a tube 8-16 mm long with 5 reflexed oblanceolate to obovate lobes 10-12 mm long and 6-8 mm wide. The style is 3-lobed and 1-3 mm long. the fruit is an ovoid capsule. Prairie phlox blooms from May into July in open woods and meadows in eastern South Dakota.

• 

  Polygonaceae : Eriogonum annuum

  R. Neil Reese

  Eriogonum annuum is an annual to biennial herb with 1 to a few erect, simple to branched stems, 10-100 cm tall and covered with silver-gray hairs. The plants start with a few, short-lived, simple, oblanceolate basal leaves, 2-5 cm long. The alternate, petiolate cauline leaves appear similar to the basal leaves, with most of them toward the base of the stem. The inflorescence is a terminal cyme, often with smaller cymes at the ends of the lower branches. The open cymes have a helicoid, bi or trichotomous branching pattern. The flowers are subtended by a sessile, membranous, calyx-like involucres that are funnel-shaped, 2.5-3 mm long, with shallow teeth. The perianth is composed of 6 white segments, sometimes with a pinkish tinge, the insides are hairy and the outer members are wider than the inner ones. There are 9 stamens and a 3 styles. The fruit are smooth achenes. Annual wild buckwheat blooms from July into September on dry, open grasslands in western and southern South Dakota.

• 

  Polygonaceae : Eriogonum flavum

  R. Neil Reese

  Eriogonum flavum is a perennial mat-forming herb from a thick, branched, woody caudex, usually having old leaf bases attached. The oblanceolate, petiolate, basal leaves are crowded, 3-8 cm long, 3-14 mm wide, green to grayish due to hairs on the upper surface and hairy beneath. The flowering stems are leafless, 4-25 cm tall, hairy, with leaf-like bracts subtending a compound umbel inflorescence, that have hairy rays up to 3 cm long. the cymose clusters of flowers are subtended by a few reduced bracts. The flowers have a campanulate involucre that is 4-6 mm long with shallow or lacking lobes. The perianth is 6-merous, 4-6 mm long, yellow to sometimes pink tinged, with hairs on the outside, narrowed to a short pedicel-like base. There are 9 stamens and 3 styles that are all exerted from the perianth. The fruit are elongated achenes with a tuft of hair at the top. Yellow wild buckwheat bloom from May into September on dry plains and ridges in western South Dakota.

• 

  Polygonaceae: Polygonum amphibium

  R. Neil Reese

  Polygonum amphibium is a perennial aquatic or semi-aquatic herb growing from a rhizomatous root system that allows it to spread horizontally underwater or in saturated soils. The roots are fibrous and fleshy, anchoring the plant in mud or shallow water. Stems can be either emergent or floating, reaching 30 to 90 cm in height. Leaves are alternate and variable: submerged leaves are narrow and linear, 5–15 cm long and 0.5–1 cm wide; floating or terrestrial leaves are broader, ovate to lanceolate, 7–20 cm long and 3–10 cm wide, with entire margins and petioles 2–8 cm long. The flowers are small, pink to rose-colored, clustered in dense terminal spikes blooming from July through September. Each flower has five pink to rose-colored tepals (sepals and petals not distinctly separate), 3 to 5 mm long and 1.5 to 2 mm wide. The flower contains eight stamens with yellow anthers. The pistil has a superior ovary with three styles. Fruits develop from August through October, maturing into small, three-angled achenes about 2 to 3 mm long and 1.5 to 2 mm wide. Water smartweed is native to South Dakota and typically found in wetlands, along lake and pond margins, slow-moving streams, and marshy areas throughout the eastern and central parts of the state.

  Synonym: Persicaria amphibia

• 

  Polygonaceae: Polygonum pensylvanicum

  R. Neil Reese

  Polygonum pensylvanicum is an annual herbaceous plant growing 30 to 100 cm tall from a fibrous root system. The stems are erect, often reddish, and may be branched. The leaves are alternate and petiolate, with petioles 1 to 6 cm long. Blades are lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 5 to 12 cm long and 1.5 to 4 cm wide, with entire or slightly wavy margins and a smooth surface, sometimes marked with a dark spot near the middle. The flowers are small, pink to rose, densely arranged in elongated, cylindrical spikes, 2–10 cm long, blooming from July through September. Each flower has five , pink to reddish tepals about 3 to 5 mm long and 1.5 to 2 mm wide and eight stamens with yellow anthers. The pistil has a superior ovary with three slender styles. The fruit is a small, three-angled achene about 2 to 3 mm long and 1.5 to 2 mm wide, maturing from late summer into fall. Pennsylvania smartweed is native to South Dakota and is commonly found in moist to wet habitats such as floodplains, marshes, pond edges, and ditches, especially in the eastern and central regions of the state.

  Synonym: Persicaria pensylvanica

• 

  Polygonaceae : Rumex venosus

  R. Neil Reese

  Rumex venosus is a perennial herb from a branching rhizome with erect, branching, reddish, flowering stems that grow 15–40 cm tall. The simple, alternate, petiolate, cauline leaves are lanceolate to ovate, 3–10 cm long with thick leathery blades that are pointed at the tip. The lower most leaves are generally reduced in size. The inflorescence is a panicle with few branches, becoming showy in fruit. The perfect flowers have 2 whorls of tepals 3-4 mm long at anthesis, with 6 stamens and 1 pistil. The outer 3 tepals remain small, the inner tepals (valves), enlarge with the fruit development, becoming reddish, 20–45 mm long orbicular with a cordate-base and lacking growths (tubercles). The fruit are light brown achenes, 5-7 mm long. Wild begonia blooms from April into July on sandy dunes and riverbanks in southern and western South Dakota.

• 

  Portulacaceae : Lewisia pygmaea

  R. Neil Reese

  Lewisia pygmaea is a small perennial herbaceous plant forming low mats or small rosettes typically 2 to 10 cm tall. It has a fleshy, thickened taproot (caudex). The stems are short and mostly absent or very reduced, often hidden among the leaves. Leaves are basal, simple, fleshy, and linear to spatulate, measuring about 1 to 4 cm long and 2 to 5 mm wide. Leaf margins are entire, and surfaces are smooth and succulent. The inflorescence is a solitary flower or small cluster of flowers on short stalks, flowering from late spring to early summer (May–July). Flowers are star-shaped with 5 to 9 petals, each petal about 5 to 12 mm long and 3 to 6 mm wide, broadly ovate to spatulate, and typically white to pale pink with darker pink or reddish veins. The calyx consists of 5 to 7 sepals that are narrow and lanceolate, about 3 to 6 mm long, often reddish or greenish. The flowers have numerous stamens and a superior ovary. The fruit is a capsule that releases many small seeds. In South Dakota, Alpine bitterroot is native and found in alpine and subalpine rocky outcrops and well-drained mountainous soils in the Black Hills region.

• 

  Primulaceae : Dodecatheon pulchellum

  R. Neil Reese

  Dodecatheon pulchellum is a perennial herb growing from white, fibrous roots and having erect flowering stems (scapes) that reach up to 50 cm in height. The simple leaves arise from a woody caudex, forming a basal rosette. The oblanceolate to spatulate leaf blades are gradually tapered into a petiole, 4-25 cm long including the petiole, 1-6 cm wide, with entire margins. The inflorescence is a few to many flowered umbel, subtended by a few bracts < 1.5 cm long, with pedicels 1-5 cm long at flowering. The calyx tube is 2-4 mm long with pointed lobes 2-6 mm long. the yellow and red corolla tube has magenta to lavender, reflexed lobes that are 9-20 mm long. the yellow stamens are inserted opposite the corolla lobes, fully protruding and surrounding the style. The fruit is a many-seeded cylindric to ovoid capsule, 7-17 mm long and 4-7 mm wide. Shootingstars bloom in May and June in moist prairie meadows and open woodlands in western South Dakota.

  Synonym: Primula pauciflora