Agalinis auriculata

Agalinis auriculata is a species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae known as earleaf false foxglove, auriculate false foxglove, and earleaf gerardia. It is endemic to the United States, where it occurs from New Jersey west to Minnesota and throughout most southern states.[2][3]

Agalinis auriculata
Botanical illustration

Vulnerable  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Orobanchaceae
Genus: Agalinis
Species:
A. auriculata
Binomial name
Agalinis auriculata
(Michx.) S.F.Blake

Description and ecology

This plant is a hairy annual herb producing a stiff stem up to 90 cm (35 in) tall. The flowers are pink with purple spots and they bloom between July and September.[1]

The plant is hemiparasitic, meaning it contains chlorophyll to accomplish photosynthesis, but is also parasitic on other plants to obtain some nutrients. In cultivation the plant was able to parasitize Helianthus occidentalis (western sunflower) and Rudbeckia fulgida (showy black-eyed Susan) and it was observed to connect to a grass, possibly Poa compressa (Kentucky bluegrass), in the field.[2]

Distribution and habitat

This plant has a widespread distribution and it was formerly more common than it is today. It appears to require soil disturbance in order to germinate. In the past, this disturbance may possibly have been caused by herds of bison. The plant can colonize mounds of earth which has been turned over by pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius).[2]

There are 40 to 50 known occurrences today, mostly comprising small populations. The largest populations are in Arkansas, Missouri, and Mississippi.[2]

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References
  1. Agalinis auriculata. The Nature Conservancy.
  2. Agalinis auriculata. Archived October 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Center for Plant Conservation.
  3. USDA Plants Profile
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