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Fannon, Carolyn

Rhexia mariana

Rhexia mariana L.

Maryland Meadow Beauty, Pale Meadow Beauty

Melastomataceae (Melastome Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: RHMA

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

The slender, lightly hairy stems of this 2-1/2 ft. perennial bear attractive pairs of densely hairy lance-shaped, distinctly veined leaves. The white or rose-colored to purple flowers are 2 in. across and are loosely arranged in leaf axils at the top of the stem. The four petals are attached to a cylindrical floral tube. A cluster of yellow-orange stamens contrast with the petals.

Pale Meadow Beauty is a member of the meadow beauty family (family Melastomaceae), which includes herbs, trees and shrubs, with flowers generally in clusters. There are about 175 genera and 3,000 species, mostly in tropical regions, particularly South America, but Rhexia is native to the United States and Cuba.

From the Image Gallery

18 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 30 inches tall.
Flower: Flowers 2 inches

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
Native Distribution: Coastal Plain from e. MA to VA, across s. states at low altitudes to TX, & n. in the interior to s. IN, MO & KS
Native Habitat: Savannas & meadows; marshes & bogs

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil Description: Mesic to wet, fertile soils. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Acid-based
Conditions Comments: Var. mariana occurs in the interior; var. purpurea on the Coastal Plain.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Water garden, Bog or pond area
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Root Division
Description: Seeds are too small to be planted outdoors. Seedlings grow slowly, need to be kept moist, and are susceptible to damping off. Stem cuttings taken any time during the growing season can be rooted under mist. Where colonies with many stems have formed, d
Seed Collection: The fruit turns from green to copper, dry out and become brittle when the seeds are mature. Store the cleaned seeds in a sealed, refrigerated container.
Commercially Avail: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACW				OBL	FACW		OBL	OBL

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS

Bibliography

Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 328 - Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.

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Web Reference

Webref 57 - Atlas of Florida Plants (2020) Institute for Systematic Botany
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Research Literature

Reslit 667 - Phylogenetic relationships in Rhexia (Melastomataceae): Evidence from DNA sequence data and morphology (2007) G. M. Ionta, W. S. Judd, N. H. Williams and W. M. ...
Reslit 1819 - Development of Ovule and Megagametophyte in Rhexia mariana (1968) A. Etheridg and J. M. Herr
Reslit 2523 - Seed dormancy and germination in Rhexia mariana var. interior (Melastomataceae) and eco-evolutionary implications (1999) C. C. Baskin, J. M. Baskin and E. W. Chester

This information was provided by the Florida WIldflower Foundation.
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From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1988 VOL. 5, NO.2 - Researching Wildflower Seed Quality, Wildflower Center Receives $500 -000 Gift, ...
Wildflower Newsletter 1992 VOL. 9, NO.1 - Research Update, Creating Native Lawn with Sod, Director's Report, What Makes Pl...

Additional resources

USDA: Find Rhexia mariana in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Rhexia mariana in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Rhexia mariana

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-02
Research By: TWC Staff

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