Red Bartsia

(Odontites vernus)

 

   

 

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

 

 

Red Bartsia (Odontites vernus [Bellardi] Dumort.)

Alien: Native of Europe and Asia.

Identification: Flower red to pink, with a tubular corolla and 5 petal lobes. Upper two petal lobes fused into a hoodlike structure and lower 3 lobes forming a hanging, 3-lobed banner. Flower downy. Flowers arranged in a series of leafy flower spikes arising from the major leaf axils. Stem and leaves down. Leaves in opposite pairs, elongate, narrow, sessile to the stem. Leaf outer margin toothed. Plant 4 to 12 inches in height.

Distribution: Nova Scotia, southward to Wisconsin, New York and New England.

Habitat: Red Bartsia is a species of disturbed habitats including fields and roadsides.

Flowering period: June to August.

Similar Species: The red to pink downy flowers and the elongate, sessile, toothed leaves should readily identify this flower.

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