Flower ID: IMG_1285.JPG-06-02-2022 Flower name (scientific): Nuttallanthus canadensis (Linnaeus) D. A. Sutton PY: 1988. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) nut-al-ANTH-us ka-na-DEN-sis Flower name (common): Blue Toadflax Family name (common): Plantain Family name (scientific): Plantaginaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: Named to honor the botanist Thomas Nuttall. Specific epithet: Of or from Canada. Common name origin: The first part reflects a common color of the flower. The flax part of the name probably refers to the leaves being similar to Linum usitatissimum, which is called common flax. The toad part is more obsurce, appearing as tode (Old English) flax in the latter part of the 16th century. Flower description: Size: 0.3 to 0.5 inches (0.8 to 1.3 cm) Petal count: 2 (upper lip divided into 2 lobes and the lower lip 3-lobed, giving the appearance of 5 petals) Color: blue to white Other: flower arrangement, Raceme Plant description: Erect, Size: 4 to 20 inches (10 to 51 cm) typically, up to 70 to 80 cm. Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate and/or opposite, type is simple. Size: Fertile stem leaves up to about 4 cm long and 2 mm wide. Sterile stem leaves up to 12 cm long and 3 mm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, narrowly elliptic to obovate (FNA), linear to oblong-linear (IL), on vegetative stems linear to oblanceolate or spatulate, on the fertile stems linear or threadlike (MB). Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Uncommon Bloom time (typical): May to July Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Annual/Biennial Habitat: Prairies, savannas, fields, woodlands, roadsides, sandy soil, dry, sun. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): No close lookalikes in Wisconsin. Nuttallanthus texanus is similar, but can be distinguished by having longer corollas and spurs. Nuttallanthus texanus has not been reported from Wisconsin, but has been from the neighboring states of Minnesota and Illinois. Ethnobotany: Appears not to have been uses by Native American tribes in the upper midwest. Latitude: 44.797073 Longitude: -91.513544 Altitude: 279.50 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Buffalo, Burnett, Clark, Columbia, Dane, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Marathon, Marquette, Monroe, Outagamie, Portage, Price, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, CA, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV) In Canada: (NB, NS, ON, QC) References: Synonym(s): Basionym: Antirrhinum canadense Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 2: 618. 1753 Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na