Texas Wildbuds
Houstonia acerosa var. acerosa
(Needleleaf Bluet)
Houstonia acerosa var acerosa, Lubbock Lake Landmark, Lubbock Co. 2812
Houstonia acerosa var. acerosa, Lubbock Lake Landmark, Lubbock Co. 2808
Houstonia acerosa var. acerosa, Lubbock Lake Landmark, Lubbock Co. 2828
Houstonia acerosa var. acerosa, Lubbock Lake Landmark, Lubbock Co. 2827
Houstonia acerosa var acerosa, Lubbock Lake Landmark, Lubbock Co. 2820
| Scientific Name | Houstonia acerosa var. acerosa (Hedyotis acerosa var. acerosa) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | HOACA2 |
| Common Name | Needleleaf Bluet | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 846987 |
| Family | Rubiaceae (Madder) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Sandy or limestone soils in grasslands and brushland, on rocky slopes, crevices and cliffs. Plant: Low-growing, stout, woody perennial with numerous erect, much-branched and densely leafy stems, 2 to 12 inches tall. Leaves: Often crowded and overlapping, thin and pointed, up to 1/2-inch long; sessile; usually in whorls along the stem with less than 3/8-inch between nodes, or opposite. Inflorescence: Small, solitary tubular flowers in leaf axils or at stem tips, each with 4 (sometimes more) white to pink or purplish flared lobes with pointed tips and hairy edges; corollas less than 1/2-inch long. Bloom Period: May to October. References: Taxonomic Notes on Texan and Mexican Species of Hedyotis and Houstonia (Rubiaceae) by Edward Terrell and iNaturalist; Hedyotis acerosa in "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston and "Wildflowers of Texas" by Michael Eason. |
BONAP Distribution Map Map Color Key |
Texas Status: Native |
Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County
© Tom Lebsack 2025