Virginia Pennywort- A Shy Beauty

 
I saw so many flowers that were completely new to me in Alabama I still haven't gotten them all recorded. Here's one that I guess isn't really rare, but it's more southern than northern, and I hadn't seen it before. However, I have now read that it might be seen in Ohio or Indiana.

But, take a look at how difficult it is to spot. You'd have to be looking carefully to keep from missing this.



This is known as Virginia Pennywort. It's actually a member of the Gentain family, Obolaria virginica. Here's where it gets interesting to me. There are a number of plants whose common name is pennywort. This doesn't look like any of the ones I know by that common name.

Take a look at the stunning flowers.

Notice how each flower is a little tube, and the leaves are opposite. Those are characteristics of the Gentainaceae (although other families have tubular flowers too). "Obolus" is Greek for a coin. The leaves are bronzy, and round, like a little coin... penny. "Wyrt" is Old English for plant. Lots of plant names have it in a combination word... wort. Thus pennywort. I guess the Virginia gets tagged on to denote it as a more southern species.

if you like this blog, click the +1   or