Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Magnoliids: Piperales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Hexastylis finzelii
FAMILY
Aristolochiaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Similar to H. speciosa and H. arifolia. Differs from H. speciosa by the calyx lobes erect (vs. recurved), lower calyx tube below outward flare distinctly shorter than upper tube (vs. lower calyx tube as long as or longer than upper tube), and style appendages maroon (vs. greenish). Differs from H. arifolia by calyx shape open cup-shaped (vs. urceolate). Read more in A new Hexastylis (Aristolochiaceae) from Northeast Alabama.
Finzel’s Wild Ginger has more than a superficial resemblance to another rare Wild Ginger, Hexastylis speciosa or Harper’s Heartleaf... not as showy as H. speciosa, but much showier than H. arifolia... But, all three species have the characteristic, elongated, heart-shaped leaf, which makes for difficult identification until the leaf litter is brushed away from the base of the plant where the flowers appear. Read more and see numerous photos in Jim Fowler's blog.
SYNONYMOUS WITH A new Hexastylis (Aristolochiaceae) from Northeast Alabama (U.S.A.) with notes on the species “groups” within the genus (Keener, 2020)
Hexastylis finzelii
COMMON NAME:
Finzel's Heartleaf, Finzel’s Wild Ginger
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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Alan Cressler alc_33763074948_c
April Marshall County AL
Portions of larger leaves' sides straight or concave; leaves mottled, paler areas between veins, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
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Alan Cressler alc_33763076068_c
April Marshall County AL
Calyx lobes three, erect, broadly triangular, wider than long, per A new Hexastylis (Aristolochiaceae) from Northeast Alabama (U.S.A.) with notes on the species “groups” within the genus (Keener, 2020).
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Alan Cressler alc_46916348514_c
April Marshall County AL
Lower portion of the calyx narrowly cuplike, abruptly expanded into a much broader upper half, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
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Alan Cressler alc_47640498581_c
April Marshall County AL
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Hexastylis finzelii
FAMILY
Aristolochiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
A new Hexastylis (Aristolochiaceae) from Northeast Alabama (U.S.A.) with notes on the species “groups” within the genus (Keener, 2020)
Hexastylis finzelii
4785
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Rocky, submesic forests, per Weakley's Flora
Native to Alabama
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Evergreen
Simple
Plant acaulescent (without aerial stems). Leaves alternate, 2-ranked
RHIZOMES? STOLONS?
Rhizomatous
FLOWER:
Spring
Pale purplish/ Purplish-brown?
3-merous
3-lobed calyx abruptly contracted near the middle, the lower portion narrowly cuplike, abruptly expanded into a much broader upper half
Petals absent
12 stamens
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Spring?
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".