meadow nemophila (littlefoot nemophila)
Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Annual herb from a taproot; stems prostrate to ascending, several, simple or branched, sometimes with a few scattered hairs, 5-30 cm long.
Leaves:
Stem leaves opposite, pinnatifid with 5-7 oblanceolate lobes, the lobes hairy, especially towards the base, the blades 6-25 mm long, 5-17 mm wide, stalked.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of solitary, stalked axillary flowers; corollas pale lavender or white with dark fringed markings, bell-shaped, 2-5 mm long, 2-8 mm wide; calyces 1.5-4 mm long, 5-lobed, the lobes hairy, lanceolate; calyx appendages 1-3 mm long, 1/2-3/4 (or fully) as long as the calyx lobes, reflexed.
Fruits:
Capsules; seeds 2-8, 1-4 mm long, glabrous, wrinkled or irregularly pitted.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Habitat and Range
Moist meadows and seepage sites in the lowland zone; infrequent on SE Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands; S to ID, NV, CA and MX.Status Information
Taxonomic Keys
1. Leaves alternate; corollas shorter than calyces; seeds usually solitary..................................N. breviflora
1. Leaves opposite, sometimes the upper ones alternate; corollas equalling or surpassing the calyces; seeds 2-8. 2. Calyces with well developed, earlike lobes that are 1-3 mm long at maturity, 1/2-3/4 (or fully) as long as the proper lobes...................................N. pedunculata 2. Calyces with short, earlike lobes that are about 1 mm long at maturity, 1/4-1/2 as long as the proper lobes...............................................N. parviflora |