Gentian pinkroot

Herbs perennial, 25–40 cm; rhi­zomes slender. Stems 1–3, rarely branched or branched near base. Cauline leaves: proximals 3–6 pairs per stem, sessile, blade ovate, 2–4 × 1–2 cm, base rounded; distals opposite. Cymes to 8-flowered. Flowers: calyx lobes lanceolate; corolla light pink outside, sometimes with 2 dark pink lines on each lobe, light pink to white inside, funnelform, 25–30 mm, lobes barely opening at anthesis. Capsules 5–6 × 8 mm. Seeds 3 mm.

Flowering (Apr–)May–Jul(–Oct). Sandy loam, upland longleaf pine-wiregrass and pine-oak-hickory woods; of conservation concern; 10–100 m; Ala., Fla.

Spigelia gentianoides is listed as an endangered species under both federal and Florida state law; five extant populations are known (V. Negron-Ortiz 2011). The primary threats to its existence are habitat loss and alteration of its native habitat mainly for pine silvicul­ture and associated disruption of fire regimes (R. A. Kral 1983; Negron-Ortiz). Spigelia gentianoides is closely related and morphologically similar to S. alabamensis, formerly classified as a disjunct variety of S. gentianoides. It can be distinguished from S. alabamensis by its ovate (versus lanceolate to elliptic) leaf blades and by its shorter corollas with lobes that do not reflex at anthesis.