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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Glaucous Willow-herb
Epilobium glaberrimum Barbey

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Evening-primrose (Onagraceae)
Flowering: July-August
Field Marks: This species is recognized by its glaucous stems and leaves and by its scaly rootstocks.
Habitat: Along streams, moist woods.
Habit: Perennial herb with scaly rootstocks.
Stems: Upright, unbranched, slender, up to 2 feet tall, smooth or rarely with glandular hairs, glaucous, often purplish.
Leaves: Opposite, simple, ascending, oblong to lanceolate, up to 2 inches long, more or less rounded at the tip. tapering to the sessile base, smooth, glaucous, with or without minute teeth: flower stalks very short.
Flowers: Several in a terminal cluster, usually upright, sometimes drooping.
Sepals: 4, green, free from each other, about 1/12 inch long.
Petals: 4, purple to white, free from each other, usually slightly notched at the tip, 1/6-1/3 inch long.
Stamens: 8.
Pistils: Ovary inferior.
Fruits: Capsules ellipsoid, slender, 2-3 inches long, seeds about 1/24 inch long, covered with minute warts, bearing a tuft of whitish hairs.

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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:27:06 EST
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