Longleaf Spiderwort

Description

Herbs, erect or ascending, rarely rooting at nodes. Roots thin, fibrous, 0.5--1(--2) mm thick. Stems unbranched or sparsely branched, 19--60 cm; internodes puberulent with glandular or eglandular hairs, rarely pilose or glabrous. Leaves spirally arranged, sessile; blade linear-lanceolate, 10--42 - 0.5--1.6 cm (distal leaf blades equal to or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), apex acuminate, somewhat glaucous, puberulent to pilosulose, rarely glabrescent. Inflorescences terminal, often axillary; bracts foliaceous. Flowers rose-scented, distinctly pedicillate; pedicels 1--2.8 cm, glandular-puberulent; sepals 6--12 mm, glandular-puberulent, glandular hairs numerous and conspicuous, often mixed with eglandular hairs, usually with apical tuft of eglandular hairs, all hairs less than 1mm; petals distinct, broadly deep blue to magenta, ovate, not clawed, 10--14 mm; stamens free; filaments bearded. Capsules 5--7 mm. Seeds 3--4 mm. 2N = 24.