Phacelia popei
(Pope’s Scorpionweed)
Phacelia popei, Lajitas Airport Trails, Brewster Co. 4504
Phacelia popei, Playground Trail, San Angelo State Park, Tom Green Co. 06893
Phacelia popei, Playground Trail, San Angelo State Park, Tom Green Co. 06896
Phacelia popei, River Road, Big Bend National Park 5425
Phacelia popei, Lajitas Airport Trails, Brewster Co. 4498
Phacelia popei, Lajitas Airport Trails, Brewster Co. 4501
Phacelia popei, River Road, Big Bend National Park 5429
Lower leaves, Phacelia popei, Playground Trail, San Angelo State Park, Tom Green Co. 06903
| Scientific Name | Phacelia popei | USDA PLANTS Symbol | PHPO |
| Common Name | Pope's Scorpionweed, Pope's Phacelia | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 31576 |
| Family | Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Sandy or rocky soils, sometimes in limestone or gypsum environments; open areas and roadsides. Plant: Erect annual 2 to 14 inches tall; branching stems from base, hairy, somewhat glandular. Leaves: Alternate, narrowly oblong in outline, 3/4 to 3 inches long; pinnate to bipinnate-divided, linear or lanceolate divisions; surfaces strigose to glandular hairs. Inflorescence: Small bell-shaped blossoms crowded together in terminal coiled (scorpioid) clusters; each blossom about 1/4-inch long with 5 overlapping blue to purplish lobes; stamens extending past the corolla, style slightly longer than stamens; 5 oblanceolate to spatulate sepals shorter than petals with gland-tipped and non-glandular thick, stiff hairs (hirsute). Bloom Period: April and May. References: "Wildflowers of Texas" by Michael Eason, "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston and A Revision of the Phacelia Crenulatae group for North America by N. Duane Atwood. 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