Family: Orobanchaceae
False foxglove
Marj Davis
Key to Wisconsin Agalinis
Author: John G. Zaborsky
- 1a. Leaf blades lanceolate to narrowly ovate, the distalmost often with a pair of basal lobes; stems with pubescence of both stiff, spreading hairs and retrorse hairs; calyx pubescent A. auriculata
- 1b.Leaf blades linear, without basal lobes; stems glabrous or antrorse-scabrous; calyx glabrous 2
- 2a.Abaxial corolla lobes glabrous externally 3
- 2b.Abaxial corolla lobes pilose externally 4
- 3a.Corollas (17–) 18–24 (–25) mm, glabrous within across the bases of the adaxial lobes; axillary fascicles of leaves present A. aspera
- 3b.Corollas (7–) 8–15 mm, villous within across the bases of the adaxial lobes; axillary fascicles of leaves absent A. skinneriana
- 4a. Mature pedicels to 6 mm long A. purpurea
- 4b.Mature pedicels 6 mm or more long 5
- 5a. Corolla throat villous within across the bases of the adaxial lobes, adaxial lobes recurved; leaves not exceeding 1.5 mm wide; axillary fascicles of leaves absent; stems not blackening on drying A. gattingeri
- 5b. Corolla throat glabrous within across the bases of the adaxial lobes, adaxial lobes arched over the distal anthers; leaves to 3.5 mm wide; axillary fascicles of leaves sometimes present; stems blackening on drying A. tenuifolia
This is a difficult genus, with often subtle or minor differences between the species. Except for A. auriculata, all of our species look very similar to one another, but they can be told apart fairly readily based on habit once one has become familiar with all of them. Flowers last only one day and fall off easily. Care should be taken to press flowers so that both adaxial and abaxial corolla lobes can be observed. It is also helpful to photograph or make note of the position of the flower and the lobes. With the exceptions of A. purpurea var. parviflora and A. tenuifolia, all of our species are rare or local. The prairie species tend to increase in abundance after fire.
