Triodanis perfoliata
(Venus' Looking Glass)

Other pictures of this plant:


               Seedpod                                           Leaf                                            Stem                                        Seed                                          Habit

Facts About this Plant:

    Common Names: Venus' Looking Glass, Clasping Bellflower, Clasping-leaved Venus'Looking-glass
    Synonyms: Legousia perfoliata, Specularia perfoliata
    Lifespan: Annual
    Zones: N/A
    Type: Forb
    Bloom Time: May - September
    Status: Native
    Range:

Triodanis perfoliata, or Venus' Looking Glass, is an annual that can be found in the entire continental US, except that it is not reported from Nevada. It grows in sandy, dry prairies and fields, where it has bright purple flowers that continue to bloom up the stem as spring progresses.

There are several species in this genus that have very similar flowers, but this one has distinct leaves by comparison. Many of the others have long spear shaped leaves, while this species has spade-shaped leaves that are toothed on the outside, and they also "clasp" the stem - that means they wrap around the stem, but do not completely enclose it.

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