Tag Archives: Baptisia

Baptisia alba var. macrophylla > B. lactea > Baptisia leucophaea > Taxon Split

Baptisia lactea (Wild White Indigo, Western White Indigo, ETC.) on 7-22-21, #817-1.

Hello everyone! I hope this post finds you all well. We have had some weird weather in January. If we don’t like something, we can usually change it but weather isn’t one of those things (unless we move). Otherwise, all is well here.

I finished updating The Belmont Rooster 20 days earlier that last year because it went so smoothly. I didn’t have to make a lot of changes as far as species names and synonyms was concerned. But, there was one snag… I remember it well… It was on December 17 when I came to the Baptisia alba var. macrophylla page. The first thing I did was go to Plants of the World Online to make sure the scientific name was the same and the number of synonyms was still correct. Well, there was a HUGE problem. POWO said Baptisia alba var. macrophylla (Larisey) Isely is now a synonym of Baptisia leucophaea Nutt……… Well, I checked out Baptisia leucophaea online, looked at photos, and my first reaction was completely blank. Baptisia leucophaea has pale yellow flowers and the stems are horizontal… Baptisia alba and Baptisia alba var. macrophylla have white flowers on erect racemes (flower stem). How in the heck could a white flowered variety (var, macrophylla) become a synonym of a species of with yellow flowers with horizontal stems?

Well, I sent an email to the editor of POWO like I always do when I have a question. He has always been very helpful, and sometimes I have found a definite error. Sometimes I think I could be a bit of a pest, but he hasn’t complained. You know, I am not a botanist, but anyone could see there was definitely something whacky. His prompt reply was that the name was changed on Flora of North America and apparently they did a study of Baptisia (maybe not in those exact words). That was also puzzling because Flora of North America didn’t have anything online about the plant Fabaceae… SO, I sent an email to my contact from FNA. His prompt reply was they had Fabaceae published but it wasn’t online yet. Fortunately, he sent a PDF of what was to be online eventually. Once I read it, the muddy water cleared somewhat.

But the question still remained… How could a white flowered variety become a synonym of a species with yellow flowers… Since I still had the synonyms of B. alba var. macrophylla, I read the original publications of every one of them. Most were vague and all but two are now synonyms of Baptisia lactea var. lactea. Hmmm… One is a synonym is B. lactea, and one a synonym of Baptisia leucophaea. WAIT A MINUTE! Baptisia lactea? 

I had work to do, so I skipped the whole ordeal until I was finished with the rest of the updates. Still the thought of the change kept popping up.

When I was finished I went back to solve they mystery behind the name change. Back to reading the original publications again. To be honest, when some “authors” wrote descriptions in the past, they weren’t quite clear. Some point to another author’s description which was just as bad.

It is quite clear that what most of the websites are and have been calling Baptisia alba var. macrophylla is definitely NOT and never will be Baptisia leucophaea. So, lets have a look at the the ONLY white-flowered Baptisia now found in Missouri, according to FNA’s PDF, which, as I said, isn’t online yet… Baptisia lactea…

Baptisia lactea (Raf.) Thieret was a synonym of Baptisia alba var. macrophylla (Larisey) Isely as named and described as such by Duane Isely in Sida (Contributions to Botany) in 1986. It was previously named and described as Baptisia pendula var. macrophylla by Mary Maxine Larisey in Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden in 1940. Baptisia pendula var. macrophylla is now “a synonym” of Baptisia leucophaea Nutt... Ahhh… There you see the only former synonym of B. alba var. macrophylla that possibly caused that name to become a synonym of B. leucophaea… Larisey’s original publication of B. pendula says “branches… spreading, declined”…. “corolla white (?)”… If she actually saw the plant, why did she say corolla white (?). Would there be a “?” ? Just thinking…

Now going back a bit further… The former synonym Baptisia lactea (Raf.) Thieret has now been resurrected. It was named as such by John William Thieret in Sida in 1969. It was first named Dolichos lacteus by Constantine Samuel Rafinesquei in Florula Ludoviciana ( A Flora of the State of Louisiana) in 1817.

Let’s go back a little further while I’m on a roll to Dolichos lacteus Raf. from 1817 which is the basionym of Baptisia lactea (Raf.) Thieret… Starting with POWO, going to IPNI (International Plant Names Index) via “other data”, then to the original publication on BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library) via IPNI… Plants of the World Online allows you to get to the nitty gritty. IPNI doesn’t actually give a link to Dolichos lacteus, but it is on page 103 of Florula Ludoviciana (a Flora of the State of Louisiana). When you open the publication, just scroll down down and click on any species name, click on BHL, then scroll down to page 103. There you will find:

Caule erecto terei glabro, apice ramoso, ramis horizontalis; foliolis oblongis, mollibus: racemis elongatis, leguminibus caliculatis oblongis turgidus. Raf.—Josephine, Rob. p. 502, and 267. Fine perennial plant, sending every year a shoot similar to that of asparagus and glaucous; the folioles are ternated and stipulated, the flower of a milk white, seeds yellow and small; grows in meadows. It is said that it possesses the property of mitigating acute pain, and purifying the blood; the seeds may be eaten.

Latin Translated from Google:

The erect stem is glabrous, with a branched tip, and horizontal branches; oblong, soft leaves: elongated clusters, turgid with oblong caliculate vegetables

[OK, I wouldn’t eat the seeds or recommend using it for pain or to purify the blood unless you get a supplement from a reliable supplier AND get the advice of a doctor.]

That is be beginning of Baptisia lactea. You can do basically the same thing to find information on any species and synonyms… You can do the same thing through Tropicos and World Flora Online as long as there is a link to IPNI or BHL.

Basically, what I am getting at here is that even though Baptisia alba var. macrophylla is now a synonym of Baptisia leucophylla, B. leucophaea is NOT the species represented on the vast majority of websites talking about Baptisia alba. var. macrophylla. That would most likely now be Baptisia lactea.

Let me show you some current maps published on Plants of the World Online:

The genus Baptisia…

Distribution map for the Baptisia genus from the USDA Plants Database. Published on the internet at https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home. Retrieved on January 22, 2024.

As of 1-22-24, Plants of the World Online lists 18 accepted species in the genus Baptisia. It is a member of the plant Fabaceae. No map is perfect, but this is from data provided to POWO from Flora of North America.

 

Baptisia alba (L.) R.Br.

Distribution map for Baptisia alba from the USDA Plants Database. Published on the internet at https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home. Retrieved on January 22, 2024.

The above map for Baptisia alba from Plants of the World Online shows the range for only seven states in the U.S. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. There are no infraspecific names listed…

 

Baptisia lactea (Raf.) Thieret:

Distribution map for Baptisia lactea from the USDA Plants Database. Published on the internet at https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home. Retrieved on January 22, 2024.

The above distribution map for Baptisia lactea (Raf.) Thieret is from Plants of the World Online. As I mentioned above, this scientific name was a synonym of Baptisia alba var. macrophylla. This map is very close to the former map for Baptisia alba… There are two lower taxon for B. lactea… B. lactea var. lactea (autonym) and B. lactea var. pendula (Larisey) B.L.Turner. When an infraspecific taxon is named, an autonym is automatically created that is closest to the original species… In this case, Baptisia lactea var. pendula is found in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. If you remove those states from the above map, you will have the range for Baptisia lactea var. lactea… B. lactea var. pendula has a similar range as B. alba… So, for Missouri where I live, and the species have observed and photographed and have a page for, is NOW Baptisia lactea where it used to be…. Well, you get the idea…

Now for Baptisia leucophaea Nutt….

Distribution map for Baptisia leucophaea from the USDA Plants Database. Published on the internet at https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home. Retrieved on January 23, 2024.

The above distribution map for the resurrected Baptisia leucophaea Nutt. is from Plants of the World Online. Baptisia leucophaea was named and described by Thomas Nuttall in 1818. It became a synonym of Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea (Nutt.) Kartesz & Gandhi as suggested by John T. Kartesz and Kanchi Natarajan Gandhi in 1991. Well, it now once again Baptisia leucophaea. HOLY CRAP! The above map is almost the same range as Baptisia lactea var. lactea minus a couple of states… Baptisia leucophaea has no lower taxon listed.

I am honestly looking forward to seeing a Baptisia leucophaea in person… According to iNaturalist, there have been observations of B. bracteata and B. bracteata var. leucophaea not far from here. OOPS!!! The range has now changed drastically… Oh, I’m sorry… I almost forgot B. bracteata var. leucophaea is now B. leucophaea. The current native range for B. bracteata is Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina. It has been introduced to Massachusetts and New Jersey.

Time for another flag for iNaturalist. When you flag a species for a taxon change (name change) on iNaturalist, it may take a while for it to be approved. Been there done that, but it is understandable. Especially when you consider the list of flags is growing daily and not for just plants. They deal with pretty much everything living except for humans… I was getting ready to flag a species in January but someone beat me to it… Four years earlier and it is just now in the draft stage. I am certainly not knocking iNaturalist. It is a great site and I post all my observations there. The maps are continually updated as members post observations.

I apologize, I got off track… Now, where was I? Oh yeah, maps. Just remember, the maps may not be 100% accurate, but I think Flora of North America is pretty close. Some people prefer using the maps on BONAP (the Biota Project of North America) or the USDA Plants Database. They should be close since the USDA’s data came from BONAP. Even so, they aren’t always the same. Maps are just a guide and species distribution can change easily because they spread, haven’t been observed even though present, or environmental factors.

I realize most of my blog readers aren’t interested, but it will be published online and maybe others will find this post useful. Likely, the scientific names won’t change on many GREAT websites because once they publish information they never make updates for whatever reason they may have. Maybe they are short staffed or perhaps a one man operation. That’s OK in most cases, as long as the name they use is validly published and a synonym of a species that will point them in the right direction. This is not one of those times as the name change leads in at least two directions… White flowers and/or yellow flowers… Once Flora of North America’s Fabaceae is up and running online, you will be able to see all of the Baptisia species in North America, see the maps, and read descriptions.

By all means, if you see I have made an error, please let me know with a comment or through “contact” at the top of the page.

You can read my page for Baptisia lactea and view all the photos I have taken by clicking HERE. I purposely haven’t changed the URL from Baptisia alba var. macrophylla…

I’m finished blabbing now although I get the feeling I left something out…

Until next time, take care, stay positive, and always be thankful. Thanks for visiting!

April 24 Update

A few of the plants on the front porch on 4-22-19, #561-9.

Hello everyone! I hope this post finds you all doing well. I took most of the photos for this post on April 20 then more on April 22. I did manage to get the plants on the front porch but the cactus are still in the house. Many of the perennials are growing very fast now but some are still slow because of lingering cool temperatures. The Hosta have been slow except for a few such as the Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ and H. Potomac Pride’. I will have to take new photos of the Hosta and make a separate update for the Heuchera and Hosta. I am planning a garden this year but the wind and then more rain has delayed that plan. I am also planning on extending the bed on the north side of the house… I want to add another Xanthosoma and find another Leococasia gigantea ‘Thailand Giant’. Of course, the larger Colocasia esculenta will also go in the north bed. Well, maybe I need to make the bed even larger than planned. I also moved the Alocasia outside but they aren’t exactly photo ready yet. 🙂

I met a new friend and fellow plant collector and we will be trading a few plants. No telling what I might wind up with but it will be very good!

 

Achillea ‘Moondust’ on 4-20-19, #560-1.

The Achillea ‘Moondust’ is well on its way to having a great summer. This is only the second cultivar of Achillea I have bought. The other was a selection of Achillea millefolium called ‘Strawberry Seduction’ which I purchased from Lowe’s in Greenville, Mississippi in 2012. I brought it to Missouri with me in 2013 but it fizzled out in 2014.

 

Achillea ‘Moondust’ on 4-22-19, #561-2.

Two days after the previous photo was taken, the Achillea ‘Moondust’ it has two buds…

 

Achillea millefolium on 4-20-19, #560-2.

The Achillea millefolium have been amusing plants (plural because I have SEVERAL clumps now). I have been calling this a Fern-Leaf Yarrow, but that common name belongs to the Achillea filipendulina (which has yellow flowers). The common names for the Achillea millefolium include Milfoil, Yarrow or Common Yarrow, Allheal, Thousand-Leaf, Bloodwort, Carpenter’s Grass, Cammock, Green Arrow, Sneezeweed, Nosebleed, Green Adder’s Mouth, Soldier’s Woundwort, Dog Daisy, Old-Man’s-Pepper and probably more. What is amusing to me is the way it travels by underground roots to where it would rather be. I initially brought two clumps with me when I moved back here from Mississippi in 2013. A friend of mine gave me quite a few plants from her yard that she had for MANY years. She said another gardening friend had given a start to her and she didn’t know the cultivar name. She just started yanking up plants because they had spread way out into her yard. Since I had several to experiment with, I put them here and there in both full sun and shady areas. The plants in too much shade just kind of fizzled out but the two mostly sun thrived. I brought two clumps with me when I came back here and put them in the bed on the south side of the house. In 2014 I moved one to the front of the chicken house and one on the north side of the house. I also put a few along the basement steps (in full sun). The one in front of the chicken house has just done so-so and that is where I thought it would spread the most. But, not so. It only did well there for a couple of years then the clump became smaller and has even tried moving around the corner. The plants along the basement steps, in full sun, only lasted a couple of years then they didn’t return one spring. On the north side of the house, where they received the least amount of sun, they have done much better and multiplied. I took one of the larger clumps and put them in front of the barn last spring in full sun. One clump on the north side of the house is only a couple of feet from the foundation and seems to like it there even though it is in the shade. The clump I moved to the barn was the traveler… It moved about 3 feet from where I initially planted it in three years to get to more sun. It has also left behind 4-5 offspring, two of which popped up this spring next to the steps. The other 2 or 3 are still in the shadier part of the bed. Supposedly, according to some, the Achillea millefolium will spread like wildfire but I haven’t had that problem. The native Achillea millefolium on one part of the Katy Trail nearby has flourished beyond comprehension. Here on the farm, I guess the cows have kept in check because there aren’t that many. You can see Achillea millefolium on a lot of back roads as well, sometimes in very large colonies. There are several nice cultivars available in several colors and sizes that do not spread.

 

Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chip’ on 4-20-19, #560-3.

A few patches of the Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chip’ are beginning to flower while some are still in bud. I really like this cultivar even though they spread like their life depends on it. Well, I guess their life does depend on it, huh? I originally brought the Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chip’ home from Lowe’s in 2010 when I was living at the mansion in Leland, Mississippi. They multiply to form a thick mat so some of the plants need to be removed every year or so to avoid crown rot. They root easily so you can put them here and there. They have fairly shallow roots so they make a nice living mulch.

 

Astilbe cv. ‘?’ on 4-20-19, #560-4.

The Astilbe are getting with it now. They aren’t among the first perennials to emerge in the spring, but they are close behind them. Once they start they grow nonstop until they reach their size. The one in the above photo, Astilbe cv. ‘?’, is the one I brought home with the wrong label. I checked over the plant quality in many pots and didn’t notice it was mislabeled until I brought it home. GEEZ! It is a smaller plant so it is likely Astilbe ‘Visions’ or ‘Rheinland’. I guess I should take measurements of the mature height with and without the flowers so I can give ita proper name besides ‘?’…

 

Astilbe x arendsii ‘Fanal’ on 4-20-19, #460-5.

No mistaking this is an Astilbe x arendsii ‘Fanal’ because it has the correct label. 🙂 This cultivar is somewhat taller than the other one and has dark leaves and red flowers. Astilbe are great in a shady area and prefer somewhat moist soil and they both like it on the north side of the house. Some cultivars grow to around 30″ or taller.

 

Baptisia ‘Lunar Eclipse’ ? on 4-20-19, #560-6.

The Baptisia ‘Lunar Eclipse’ wannabe has grown A LOT since I took the last photos on April 7.  I had to make a decision to move this plant to the southeast corner bed because it shades the Phlomis ‘Edward Bowles’ too much. At least I think so although the Phlomis wasn’t complaining. ANYWAY, Saturday afternoon I took the shovel and stuck it in all the way around the clump to loosen the soil… Ummm… Baptisia has deep taproots and doesn’t like to be disturbed so I was going to be very careful to get as much soil and as deep as I could. It would not budge! I thought I was going to break the shovel handle. So, I decided I would move the Phlomis to the southeast corner bed instead. It was not happy about that decision… I will write about that down farther… So, for now, I guess the Baptisia stays put.

 

Baptisia ‘Lunar Eclipse’ on 4-22-19, #561-4.

On April 22, only two days after the previous photo was taken, the Baptisia wannabe ‘Lunar Eclipse’ has MANY buds… Now I have to watch it closely!

 

Cydonia sp. on 4-20-19, #560-7.

The Quince has more flowers on it this year than I have ever seen before. Maybe it will bear fruit. 🙂 This probably the most annoying shrub, besides the Crap Myrtle, on the farm. Well, I suppose that depends on how you look at it. I don’t trim it very often and it has spread into the patch of Iris next to it which I am not happy about. Other trees like to hide in it and there is also some Poison Ivy in it. My grandparents planted it here so it has been around for a long time. I have noticed other Quince’s around town that are also LOADED!

 

Phlomis ‘Edward Bowles’ on 4-20-19, #560-27.

Like I mentioned earlier, I had to make a decision about moving the Phlomis ‘Edward Bowles’ since I couldn’t budge the Baptisia…

 

Phlomis ‘Edward Bowles’ roots on 4-20-19, #560-28.

I looked it over pretty good and thought, “Hmmm… I can make two out of it.” It actually had two tap roots, which were growing crooked because the soil was so hard.

 

Phlomis ‘Edward Bowles’ on 4-20-19, #560-31.

After I replanted them and gave them a good soaking I continued taking more photos. Then I thought how I didn’t like the same plants in more than one location, even though they are within a few feet of each other. After all, I had just put the Hosta ‘Guacamole’ back together again for the same reason. I have to keep comparing the two plants and take two photos instead of one.

 

Phlomis ‘Edward Bowles’ on 4-22-19, #561-13.

So, on the 22nd, I put them back together again. It wasn’t very happy I had dug it up and moved it in the first place let alone completely disturbing its roots. It will be in more sun where it is now, which is supposed to be OK. I will just have to keep an eye on it. GEEZ! It probably thinks I have flipped!

*On April 24 it has forgiven me and looks MUCH better.

 

Salvia nemorosa ‘New Dimensions Blue’ on 4-20-19, #560-32.

The Salvia nemorosa ‘New Dimensions Blue’ continues to do well. These are a great Salvia is you need a plant that stays pretty compact. This is our third season together and it has always done well. It will start budding shortly.

 

Salvia pratensis ‘Midnight Model’ on 4-20-19, #560-33.

I was very glad to see the Salvia pratensis ‘Midnight Model’ survived the winter. This will be our second season and it is already getting off to a good start. One plant is larger than the other, but the smaller one flowered first. 🙂 At one point last summer the smaller one almost fizzled out but it came back to life and survived the winter. This Salvia has the neatest flowers which you can see if you go to its page. Salvia pratensis ‘Midnight Model’ is part of the FASHIONISTA™ Collection introduced by Walters Gardens. Maybe I can find another one so there will be three. I used to only buy one of each plant, but last year I started buying at least three to make a bigger group. That’s OK as long as I plant them all together. 🙂

 

Salvia x sylvestris ‘Mainacht’ on 4-22-19, #561-15.

The Salvia x sylvestris ‘Mainacht’ (or ‘May Night’) has really taken off this spring! Last year, if you remember, it took a vacation and barely did anything. It stayed small and barely flowered. I am glad its vacation is over! This will be our seventh season and is one of the first perennials I panted here in 2013. It has been in this same spot.

 

Sedum kamtschaticum ‘Variegatum’ on 4-20-19, #560-36.

The Sedum kamtschaticum ‘Variegatum’ is growing really well now and

 

Sedum kamtschaticum ‘Variegatum’ buds on 4-20-19 #560-37.

It appears to have a few buds already!

 

Sedum kamtschaticum ‘Variegatum’ on 4-20-19, #560-38.

Even the stem with more yellow variegation has returned. Maybe I can take a cutting this year.

 

Sedum kamtschaticum on 4-20-19, #560-39.

The Sedam kamtschaticum is also doing very good. Last year it sprawled out and the stems touching the soil rooted. That’s good so now the clump will be bigger. 🙂

 

Tradescantia fluminensis flower on 4-20-19, #560-40.

When I took the plants to the front porch on April 20, I noticed the Tradescantia fluminensis had a flower. NICE. It did pretty well over the winter. Hmmm… I don’t have a page for this plant yet.

 

Zantedeschia elliottiana on 4-22-19, #561-16.

The Zantedeschia elliottiana (Golden Calla Lily) bulbs had started sprouting but the bulbs had sunk deeper into the soil. So, I gave the pot some fresh potting soil and re-planted the bulbs. They are a bit more crowded than recommended if you plant them in the ground but this is a pot… The top 1/4 of the bulbs need to be above the soil but that didn’t out so well. There is a big cluster in the center and when I watered most became covered with potting soil. Hmmm… They didn’t flower last year, so I am hoping for blooms. Hmmm… I don’t have a page for the Calla either and I have had them since 2017! How could that be? 🙂

I had to do some repotting and take a few cuttings when I moved the plants outside which can be expected when they have been inside.

I took photos of the Hosta on April 20, but some are growing so fast the photos are out of date. So, I will take photos again and do a separate Heuchera and Hosta update. Of course, there will be a cactus update once I move them back outside.

Until next time, be safe and stay positive and GET DIRTY!