Nuttallanthus canadensis (L.) D.A. Sutton - Blue Toadflax
Family - Scrophulariaceae
Stems - No info yet.
Leaves - No info yet.
Inflorescence - No info yet.
Flowers - No info yet.
Calyx and spur.
Flowering - April - September.
Habitat - Open ground, glades, bluffs, prairies, roadsides, railroads.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This little plant is found in a handful of scattered counties of southern Missouri. It can be identified in the field by its irregular blue flowers and its small thin leaves. The nectar-filled spur at the base of the flower is about as long as the calyx or only slightly longer. Another species, N. texanus (Scheele) D.A. Sutton, is similar but has larger flowers and the spur of the flower is much longer than the calyx. N. texanus is much more common in Missouri.
Photographs taken in Brown Summit, NC., 4-24-03, and off Lee Rd 27, Auburn, AL., 4-17-05.