Houstonia caerulea
{{Short description|Species of plant}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Bluets (Houstonia caerulea) Hedyotis caerulea.jpg
|genus = Houstonia
|species = caerulea
|authority = L.{{cite book| last1=Justice | first1=William S. | last2=Bell | first2=C. Ritchie | last3=Lindsey | first3=Anne H. |title=Wild Flowers of North Carolina|year=2005|publisher=Univ. of North Carolina Press|location=Chapel Hill, NC|isbn=0807855979|page=236|edition=2. printing.}}
|synonyms =
}}
Houstonia caerulea, commonly known as azure bluet, Quaker ladies, or bluets, is a perennial species in the family Rubiaceae. It is native to eastern Canada (Ontario to Newfoundland) and the eastern United States (Maine to Wisconsin, south to Florida and Louisiana, with scattered populations in Oklahoma).[http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Houstonia%20caerulea.png Biota of North America Program] It is found in a variety of habitats such as cliffs, alpine zones, forests, meadows and shores of rivers or lakes.{{Cite web|title=Houstonia caerulea (little bluet): Go Botany|url=https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/houstonia/caerulea/|access-date=2021-11-04|website=gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org}}
Description
File:Azure Bluet (Houstonia caerulea) in Pennsylvania.jpg
Houstonia caerulea is a perennial herb that produces showy flowers approximately {{convert|1|cm|in|abbr=on}} across. These flowers are four-parted with pale blue petals and a yellow center. The foliage is a basal rosette with spatula-shaped leaves.{{Cite web|title=Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin|url=https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=hoca4|access-date=2021-10-13|website=www.wildflower.org}} Stems are up to {{convert|20|cm|in|abbr=on}} tall with one flower per stalk. Leaves are simple and opposite in arrangement with two leaves per node along the stem. It thrives in moist acidic soils in shady areas, growing especially well among grasses.Scoggan, H. J. 1979. Dicotyledoneae (Loasaceae to Compositae). Part 4. 1117–1711 pp. In Flora of Canada. National Museums of Canada, Ottawa.
Gallery
Image:Hoca4 001 lvd.jpg
Image:Houstonia caerulea 03.jpg
Image:Houstonia caerulea 02.jpg
Image:Houstonia caerulea.jpg
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite book | author=Pink, A. | url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11892|title=Gardening for the Million| year=2004 | publisher=Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation}}
- {{cite book | author=Blanchan, Neltje | author-link=Neltje Blanchan | title=Wild Flowers Worth Knowing | year=2005 | publisher=Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation}}
External links
- [http://www.wiseacre-gardens.com/plants/wildflower/bluet.html Bluet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410211212/http://www.wiseacre-gardens.com/plants/wildflower/bluet.html |date=2021-04-10 }} gardening information
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070311011438/http://www.enature.com/flashcard/show_flash_card.asp?recordNumber=WF0209 Houstonia caerulea] photo
- [https://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=HOCA4 USDA PLANTS Profile]
- [http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=HOCA4 Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5916869}}
Category:Flora of Eastern Canada
Category:Flora of the Northeastern United States
Category:Flora of the North-Central United States
Category:Flora of the Southeastern United States
Category:Plants described in 1753
Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Category:Flora without expected TNC conservation status
{{Rubioideae-stub}}