Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_8554.JPG-08-16-2023
Flower name (scientific): Lobelia cardinalis Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) low-BEE-lee-ah kar-dih-NAL-iss
Flower name (common): Cardinal Flower
Family name (common): Bellflower
Family name (scientific): Campanulaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: Named in honor of Mathias de l'Obel (also written as Mathias de Lobel or Matthaeus Lobelius) (1538–1616), who was a Flemish physician and botanist.
    Specific epithet: Deep scarlet, brilliant red, the color of the garment worn by a Roman Catholic cardinal.
Common name origin: The brilliant red color of the flowers matches the color of the robes worn by a cardinal.
Flower description:
     Size: 1.0 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm)
     Petal count: 5
     Color: bright red
     Other: flower arrangement, Raceme
Plant description:
     Size: 12 to 60 inches (30 to 152 cm)
     Stem hairy: usually glabrous
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple. Upper leaves mostly sessile, lower leaves near the base have short petioles up to about 2 cm in length. Margins shallowly toothed.
     Size: Leaves up to 15 cm long and 4 cm wide.
     Color: medium green
     Hairy: usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely pubescent with short hairs.
     Other: Shape: leaf, lanceolate (IL), lanceolate to oblanceolate (MP)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Uncommon
Bloom time (typical): July to September
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial
Habitat: Streambanks, swamps, wet prairies, borders of ponds, sun or semi-shade, moist to wet.
Fruit: capsules up to about 1 cm in length.
Seed: up to about 1 mm in length, light brown, surface with pits and ridges.
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): No close lookalikes. The distinctive red color of the petals is a major aid to ID this plant.
Ethnobotany: The Meskwaki employed the roots of this species as a love medicine, and the ground entire plant to dispel storms (Smith, p. 231, 1928).
Latitude: 44.799453
Longitude: -91.513490
Altitude: 243.70
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Brown, Buffalo, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Langlade, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Oconto, Outagamie, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV) Click here for distribution map
In Canada: (NB, ON, QC) Click here for distribution map
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: na
Homotypic Synonym(s): POWO lists 4 homotypic synonyms for this species.
Heterotypic Synonym(s): POWO lists 72 heterotypic synonyms for this species.
Autonym: na
Wetland Status (NC): OBL
Wetland Status (MW): OBL