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Cressler, Alan

Sabatia stellaris

Sabatia stellaris Pursh

Rose Of Plymouth, Saltmarsh Sabatia

Gentianaceae (Gentian Family)

Synonym(s): Sabatia maculata, Sabatia palmeri, Sabatia purpusii, Sabatia simulata

USDA Symbol: SAST5

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Wheel-shaped, pink flowers with yellowish, star-shaped centers edged with red are at the ends of the branching stems.

This showy annual or biennial salt marsh species is easily recognized by its yellow center. Two other marsh species are the Slender Marsh Pink (S. campanulata), found on damp sands and peat in the coastal plain from Massachusetts south to Florida and Louisiana and in the southern Appalachians, with linear leaves and sepals, and the latter as long as the petals; and the Large Marsh Pink (S. dodecandra), which grows from 1-2' (30-60 cm) high and has flowers 1 2/2-2 1/2" (3.8-6.3 cm) wide. It occurs along the coast from Connecticut to Florida and Louisiana. A more southern and midwestern species, Rose Pink (S. angularis), has a 4-angled stem and numerous, opposite, flowering branches.

From the Image Gallery

7 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 30 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Red , Pink , Yellow
Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov , Dec

Distribution

USA: AL , CT , DE , FL , GA , LA , MA , MD , MS , NC , NJ , NY , RI , SC , VA
Native Distribution: Coastal; se. Massachusetts south to Florida; west to Alabama and Louisiana.
Native Habitat: Saline or brackish marshes and meadows.

National Wetland Indicator Status

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

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.

Web Reference

Webref 57 - Atlas of Florida Plants (2020) Institute for Systematic Botany
Webref 34 - Go Botany (2019) Native Plant Trust
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-04-04
Research By: TWC Staff

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