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Nuttallanthus canadensis (L.) D.A. Sutton

Blue toadflax, Canada toadflax

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassAsteridaeA large class that encompasses asters
OrderLamialesAromatic herbs and shrubs, including lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, ash, teak, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, mint, basil, and rosemary
FamilyPlantaginaceaePlantains
GenusNuttallanthusNorth American toadflax
Speciescanadensis“From Canada”

About plant names...

Blue toadflax is pretty easy to miss. The foliage is thin, thinner than grass blades, and the flowers are diminutive, atop thin stems. From a distance, a colony of blue toadflax resembles a low-lying cloud of blue mist. It is pretty cool when you take a closer look at it.

Plants: 10-31″ (25-80 cm) in height. Stems may be green or reddish-green.

Leaves: Leaves are less than 1/32-1/16″ (1-2.5 mm) wide and up to ½-1″ (1.5-3 cm) long. They are sessile. Leaves closer to the top of flowering stalks are alternate, while lower leaves tend to be opposite.

Flowers: Flowers are blue, and ¼-½″ (6.3-12 mm) long. They are “bilaterally symmetrical,” that is, if you cut them down the center, the halves are mirror images. There are two petals on top, and three larger ones on the bottom, with a white patch in the center.

Fruits: Small, rounded seed capsules contain tiny, flattened seeds.

Online References:

Missouriplants.com

The Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site

Illinois Wildflowers

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Southeastern Flora, the Southeastern U.S. Plant Identification Resource

CalPhotos

SEINet—the Southwest Environmental Information Network

Nuttallanthus canadensis (blue toadflax, Canada toadflax)

6/16/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)

Nuttallanthus canadensis (blue toadflax, Canada toadflax)

6/2/2016 · Townsend Wildlife Management Are, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts

Nuttallanthus canadensis (blue toadflax, Canada toadflax)

6/14/2017 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (14 × 10 cm)

Nuttallanthus canadensis (blue toadflax, Canada toadflax)

6/27/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 16 cm)

Linaria canadensis (L.) Chaz.

 

Nuttallanthus canadensis description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

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Nuttallanthus canadensis (blue toadflax, Canada toadflax)

6/5/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 3½ × 2½″ (9.8 × 6.6 cm)

Nuttallanthus canadensis (blue toadflax, Canada toadflax)

8/4/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 1 × 1½′ (33 × 50 cm)

Nuttallanthus canadensis (blue toadflax, Canada toadflax)

6/14/2017 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 15 cm)

Nuttallanthus canadensis (blue toadflax, Canada toadflax)

6/2/2016 · Townsend Wildlife Management Are, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts

Nuttallanthus canadensis (blue toadflax, Canada toadflax)

6/5/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm)

Nuttallanthus canadensis (blue toadflax, Canada toadflax)

7/25/2009 · J. Harry Rich Dirt Road, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)

Nuttallanthus canadensis (blue toadflax, Canada toadflax)

6/30/2010 · Kennebunk Plains, Kennebunk, Maine · By Constance B. Kent

Range:

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