Rhexia mariana var. exalbida

Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Family:	MELASTOMATACEAE
Species:	Rhexia mariana L. var. exalbida Michx.
Common Name:	White Meadow Beauty
Habitat:	**
Associated Ecological Communities:	**
Growth Habit:	Herb
Duration:	Perennial
Category:	Vascular
USDA Symbol:	**
Plant Notes:	White Meadow Beauty is a native herbaceous perennial in the Melastome family (Melastomataceae). It can be found in the southern-most counties of Alabama. White Meadow Beauty occurs around depression ponds, in wet pine savannas, and on wet roadsides. It has a fibrous root system and slender, elongate rhizomes. It often forms extensive clones. The stems grow from one to two feet in height, and are branch near the top. The stem is four angled with the faces distinctly unequal at mid-stem. One pair of opposite faces is broad and rounded, the other is narrow and flat. The angles of the stems are not winged and the stem is pubescent with spreading hairs. Leaves are opposite and toothed. They are linear in outline, finely serrate, and pubescent. Flowers are produced in cymes. Each flower has four white or pale pinkish petals and eight stamens with large bright yellow curved anthers. The petals fall of easily, and individual flowers only last one day. The fruit is a capsule that is shaped like a vase. The fruit is glabrous or slightly glandular pubescent. White Meadow Beauty is sometimes treated as a species, but intergrades with var. mariana throughout much of its range.—A. Diamond.
Taxonomic Notes:	**
Status:	Native
References:	**

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

Family	MELASTOMATACEAE - Melastome family
Genus	Rhexia
Species	Rhexia mariana L. var. exalbida Michx. - White Meadow Beauty

Citation	Rhexia mariana Linnaeus var. exalbida Michaux, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 221. 1803.
Basionym:	REPLACED: Rhexia lanceolata Walter 1788.
Type:	USA: SOUTH CAROLINA

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonym	Full Citation	Basionym	Type
Rhexia lanceolata	Rhexia lanceolata Walter, Fl. Carol. 129. 1788.

No specimens exist for this species.

For more information, contact: Brian R. Keener, Ph.D.

Data last modified: 11/9/2024

Citation Information:

Keener, B.R., A.R. Diamond, T.W. Barger, L.J. Davenport, P.G. Davison, S.L. Ginzbarg, C.J. Hansen, D.D. Spaulding, J.K. Triplett, and M. Woods. 2024. Alabama Plant Atlas. [S.M. Landry and K.N. Campbell (original application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research. University of South Florida]. University of West Alabama, Livingston, Alabama.