Flower ID: IMG_1646.JPG-08-05-2017 Flower name (scientific): Epilobium ciliatum Rafinesque PY: 1808. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) ep-ih-LOW-bee-um sil-ee-ATE-um Flower name (common): American Willowherb Family name (common): Evening Primrose Family name (scientific): Onagraceae Scientific name origin: Genus: From the Greek for upon a pod. Referring to the corolla positioned on the top of the ovary. Specific epithet: From the Latin cilium, which in normal use refers to the eyelid, but in botantical Latin, refers to marginal hairs forming a fringe. Common name origin: From its native location and the similarity of the leaves to the willow's. Flower description: Size: 0.1 to 0.5 inches (3 to 13 mm) Petal count: 4 Color: purple Other: flower arrangement, Raceme Plant description: Erect Size: 36 to 60 inches (91 to 152 cm) Stem hairy: lower stem glabrous, upper stem glandular hairy. Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate and/or opposite, type is simple. Size: Leaves about 3 to 12 cm long and about 0.6 to 5 cm wide. Color: medium green Hairy: surfaces glabrate with margins strigillose. Other: Shape: leaf, ovate to lance-like (FWI) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common. Bloom time (typical): June to August Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Meadows, forests, streambanks, sun or part shade, moist to wet. Fruit: Capsules about 3 to 10 cm in length, brown at maturity, splitting top down into typically 2 (up to 4) segments. Seed: Brown colored, typically 0.8 to 1.6 mm in length, with a tuft of whitish hairs (called a coma), which aid seed dispersal in the wind. Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): A very similar species is Epilobium coloratum (Purple-leaved Willow Herb). If the mature fruit is available, Epilobium ciliatum has white hairs on the fruit, whereas Epilobium coloratum has brown hairs on the fruit. Epilobium ciliatum has leaves that are ovate in shape with rather tiny teeth, whereas Epilobium coloratum has leaves that are lanceolate in shape with small teeth. Ethnobotany: The Potawatomi used the roots of this plant to prepare a tea that was employed to treat diarrhea (Smith, pp. 63-64, 1933). Smith uses the old synonym name Epilobium adenocaulon for this plant. The Hopi used this plant to treat leg pains and the Navajo employed it for cramps (Moerman, p. 213, 1998). Latitude: 44.800480 Longitude: -91.481993 Altitude: 274.70 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) Click here for distribution map In Canada: (AB, BC, LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, NT, ON, PE, QC, SK, YT) Click here for distribution map References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): na Heterotypic Synonym(s): na Autonym:Epilobium ciliatum subsp. ciliatum (The other infraspecifics are Epilobium ciliatum subsp. glandulosum (Lehmann) Hoch & P. H. Raven, Epilobium ciliatum subsp. watsonii (Barbey) Hoch & P. H. Raven. Both these subspecies occur in North America.) Wetland Status (NC): FACW Wetland Status (MW): FACW