Amsonia rigida

Family:APOCYNACEAE
Species:Amsonia rigida Shuttlew. ex Small
Common Name:Stiff Bluestars; Pond Bluestars
Habitat:Swamp forests, flooded flatwood depressions. flatwoods.
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Herb
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:AMRI
Plant Notes:Stiff Bluestars is a native perennial herbaceous plant in the Dogbane family (Apocynaceae). It occurs in extreme southeastern Alabama. Stiff Bluestars grows in wet and often flooded habitats such as along streams, in bogs, in gum ponds, in cypress ponds, and in wet roadside ditches. It is a perennial from a semi-woody caudex with thick cord-like roots. Usually several upright stems are produced in a clump. The stems are green in color and glabrous. Leaves are alternate and often crowded. The leaves low on the stem are scale-like. The upper leaves are short petiolate, elliptic to linear or ovate in outline, entire or with ciliate margins, and glabrous. The leaves are green above and pale green below. All parts of the plant emit a white milky sap when damaged. The flowers are produced in a terminal panicle. The flowers are funnelform with 5 spreading lobes. The flowers are white or very pale blue with a yellow throat and are glabrous. The fruit is a cylindrical follicle. Stiff Bluestars is listed as a S1 species in Alabama (typically 5 or fewer occurrences, very few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable in the state) and globally as a G4 species (imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors). Stiff Bluestars is available from some wildflower nurseries. It prefers a wet or moist soil that is high in organic matter. It does best in full sun, but tolerates light shade. A similar Bluestar that is a possible variety of Stiff Bluestar or a new species occurs in roadside ditches in the Black Belt region of west Alabama and adjacent Mississippi. It is currently under study.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Native, S1 (State Rank), G4 (Global Rank)
References:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyAPOCYNACEAE - Dogbane family
Genus Amsonia
Species Amsonia rigida Shuttlew. ex Small - Stiff Bluestars; Pond Bluestars

Citation

Citation Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small, Fl. S.E. U.S. 935. 1903.
Basionym: **
Type: USA: FLORIDA: Wakulla Co.: Prope St. Marks, Jun 1843, Rugel s.n. (holotype: BM? NY?; isotype: MO).

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

No synonyms exist for this species.

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Calhoun, Dallas, Geneva, Greene, Houston, Marengo

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AMAL, AUA, SAMF, TROY, UNA, UNAF, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1969 - 1969

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.
Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used
Image
AMAL00012225 Geneva 14 Apr 2001 Kral, Robert
90746
AMAL
Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small
ALNHS00008231 Houston 23 Mar 2023 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#5954
ALNHS
Amsonia rigida Shuttlw.
AMAL00008115 Geneva 4 May 2002 Kral, Robert
92488
AMAL
Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small
UNAF0000481 Calhoun 23 Apr 1969 Johnson, J.W.
s.n.
UNAF
Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small
TROY000042053 Geneva 11 Apr 2015 Diamond, Alvin R.
26163
TROY
Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small
UWAL0005511 Geneva 26 Apr 1969 Kral, Robert
34502
UWAL
Amsonia rigida Shuttlw. ex Small
UWAL0018444 Houston 15 Jul 1992 Kral, Robert
81147
UWAL
Amsonia rigida Shuttlw.
UWAL0033765 Geneva 12 Apr 2015 Keener, Brian R.
8744
UWAL
Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small
TROY000001091 Geneva 14 Apr 2001 Kral, Robert
90746
TROY
Amsonia rigida Shuttlw. ex Small
AUA000029633 Marengo 18 Apr 2008 Keener, Brian R.
4256
AUA
Amsonia Rigida Shuttlew. Ex Small
ALNHS00002591 Geneva 20 May 2014 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#1381
ALNHS
Amsonia rigida Shuttlw.
TROY000001092 Geneva 04 May 2002 Kral, Robert
92488
TROY
Amsonia rigida Shuttlw. ex Small
TROY000049052 Geneva 26 Mar 2018 Diamond, Alvin R.
28133
TROY
Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small
SAMF0004359 Marengo 18 Apr 2008 Keener, Brian R.
4256
SAMF
Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small
AMAL00023370 Geneva 12 Apr 2015 Keener, Brian R.
8744
AMAL
Amsonia rigida Shuttlw. ex Small
UNA00058173 Greene 09 Apr 2003 Keener, Brian R.
2523
UNA
Amsonia rigida Shuttlw. ex Small
TROY000043759 Geneva 07 Apr 2016 Diamond, Alvin R.
27287
TROY
Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small
AMAL00020614 Geneva 20 May 2014 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#1381
AMAL
Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small
UNA00068813 Marengo 18 Apr 2008 Keener, Brian R.
4256
UNA
Amsonia rigida Shuttlw. ex Small
UWAL0017605 Geneva 11 Apr 2015 Diamond, Alvin R.
26163
UWAL
Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small
AUA000029632 Geneva 26 Apr 1969 Kral, Robert
34502
AUA
Amsonia Rigida Shuttlew. Ex Small
UWAL0032997 Geneva 07 Apr 2016 Diamond, Alvin R.
27287
UWAL
Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small
TROY000014379 Marengo 18 Apr 2008 Keener, Brian R.
4256
TROY
Amsonia rigida Shuttleworth ex Small
AMAL00022730 Dallas 19 Apr 2016 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#2218
AMAL
Amsonia rigida Shuttlw. Ex Small
UNA00038212 Geneva 26 Apr 1969 Kral, Robert
34502
UNA
Amsonia rigida Shuttlw. ex Small
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