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Purple Wildflower ID

16 years ago

I noticed this short wiry plant blooming in large patches in pastures and wastelands. Bloom period mid-late August in central Manitoba (350 miles north of Fargo, ND). I don't know if it's escaped cultivation but I think it is wild. Sorry the pics aren't well focused.

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I'm fairly sure it's not a legume of any type. The leaves are lanceolate, simple and opposite.

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The flowers are a spike of purple bracts with pendulous pink/purple flowers inside. They were growing in very poor soil.

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Any ideas?

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Comments (4)

milo_z7
16 years ago
It's a Scrophulariaceae, possibly an Odontites species? You'll have to check the local floras to see which ones that are native.
abgardeneer
16 years ago
Probably red bartsia, Odontites serotina - introduced.

Here is a link that might be useful: Agricultural weeds of Manitoba
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Lathyrus latifolius is a clambering vine with winged stems -- you should have no trouble IDing it from the stem wings alone, if that's what this plant is. But I still think it's lespedeza, and maybe a form of L. thunbergii given the plant size. This species has been a popular garden subject for a long timem and I seem to recollect reading that it was popular in Victorian gardens. There are some nice named varieties available. Check out 'Gibraltar', 'Spring Grove', 'Pink Fountain', 'Little Buddy' and 'Samindare' -- maybe your plant is close to one of these.
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Love this group! Hang around long enough and all those old "unidentifieds" will move out of that category. Found this a few years back (ok, maybe a lot of years now) on a hike, took some pictures, and always meant to try to find out its ID but never did. Thanks! FataMorgana
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northspruce
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you so much Milo, it is Red Bartsia (Odontites serotina) and is not native but was fairly recently introduced into the exact area I found it. This also explains why I had never noticed it before. Thanks for putting me on the right track.

For interest, this is the article that verified it for me. It's very localized (for now).

Here is a link that might be useful: Invading Red Bartsia
northspruce
Original Author
16 years ago
Sorry abgardeneer, I posted before I saw your response - looks like we agree on the ID.

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