Phacelia coerulea
(Skyblue Scorpionweed)
Phacelia coerulea, Balanced Rock, Grapevine Hills Trail, Big Bend National Park 5587/5603
Phacelia coerulea, Balanced Rock, Grapevine Hills Trail, Big Bend National Park 5581
Phacelia coerulea, Balanced Rock, Grapevine Hills Trail, Big Bend National Park 5580
| Scientific Name | Phacelia coerulea (Phacelia caerulea) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | PHCO |
| Common Name | Skyblue Scorpionweed, Skyblue Phacelia | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 31471 |
| Family | Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Gravelly and arid calcareous hills and banks, sandy-gravelly stream beds, and rocky ledges. Plant: Delicate annual up to 24 inches tall; many reddish stems, simple or branched and covered with gland-tipped and non-glandular hairs. Leaves: Variable; stem leaves alternate and a basal cluster may occur; basal and stem leaves on slender petioles 3/8 to 2 inches long; lower blades oblong to ovate in outline, 3/4 to 3+ inches long and 3/8 to 1 inch wide, the edges deeply sinuate to pinnatifid with broadly rounded lobes; upper deeply sinuate; leaf surfaces covered with gland-tipped and non-glandular hairs. Inflorescence: Many small bell-shaped blossoms grouped together in terminal coiled (scorpioid) clusters 5/8 to 2-3/4 inches long; each blossom about 1/8-inch long with 5 overlapping violet-blue or white corolla lobes; bluish to dark violet stamens within or barely extending past the corolla; bluish style about the same length and stamens; 5 oblanceolate to spatulate sepals with gland-tipped and non-glandular hairs. Bloom Period: March to May. References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, A Revision of the Phacelia Crenulatae group for North America by N. Duane Atwood and SEINet. Note: Experts seem to agree that Phacelia species are difficult to differentiate. Foliage is usually not determinant, blossoms and seed being more reliable. These IDs should be considered in that light. |
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 2024