SafePlants

No images found for this plant ID: 11963.

Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "11963" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.

Safe for Children?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Dogs?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Cats?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Reptiles?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

spinster's blue eyed Mary

Scientific Name: Collinsia sparsiflora

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Forb/herb

Duration: Annual

Other Names:

       

Collinsia sparsiflora

Collinsia sparsiflora, a member of the Plantaginaceae family, is known by several common names, including spinster's blue-eyed Mary and few-flowered collinsia.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Collinsia sparsiflora
  • Common Names: Spinster's blue-eyed Mary, Few-flowered collinsia
  • Family: Plantaginaceae (formerly Scrophulariaceae)
  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Taxonomic Rank: Species, Variety
  • Synonyms: Collinsia bruceae M.E. Jones, Collinsia bartsiifolia var. davidsonii
  • Varieties: Collinsia sparsiflora var. bruceae, Collinsia sparsiflora Fisch. &amp C.A. Mey. var. arvensis (Greene) Jeps., Collinsia sparsiflora var. collina

Considerations for Pets

  • The text mentions that the plant can be found in grassy areas. Consider this when walking pets.

Considerations for Children

  • The plant is described as having small flowers. Young children could be tempted to pick and ingest them.

Distribution and Habitat

  • Collinsia sparsiflora is native to North America.
  • It is commonly found along grassy ridges in full sun, including locations in California, such as Lake County and the Terra Linda Ridge Trail.

Morphological Characteristics

  • The plant is upright and may be small to medium in size, reaching up to 14 meters in height.
  • It is described as a small, widely branched plant.
  • It has linear to oblong, entire leaves.
  • It produces blue to violet, bilaterally symmetrical flowers, approximately 0.8 cm wide. The corolla is bi-labiate, blue-lavender to white, 8-11 mm long, and the tube is abruptly bent near the base.

Quirky Facts

  • One common name, "spinster's blue-eyed Mary," evokes a sense of historical folklore or social commentary related to unmarried women.

Ecological Role

  • Collinsia sparsiflora is associated with wildflower communities, often found alongside other species such as Sisyrinchium bellum (blue-eyed grass).
  • It is found in interior foothills and woodlands.

Further Information

  • Encyclopedia of Life
  • Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  • Discover Life
  • USDA Plants Database