| Author | (Vahl) Rafinesque | |
| Distribution | Present over nearly all of the Piedmont and Mountains, though apparently absent in the northwestern corner of the state. In the Coastal Plain, apparently known only from a disjunct site in Jones County.
This is a very widespread species over the eastern and central parts of the continent. It ranges south to central FL and west to eastern TX, but is scarce on the Atlantic Coastal Plain. | |
| Abundance | Frequent to common in the Piedmont and the central and southern Mountains, but very rare to absent in the far northwestern Piedmont and northern Mountains. Absent in the Coastal Plain, including the Sandhills. The S4 State Rank of the NCNHP is certainly conservative, and it clearly is an S5 species in NC. | |
| Habitat | This species occurs in dry, usually clay or rocky soil, in partial to full sun. It is typical of dry wooded borders, roadbanks, openings in upland woods, and around rock outcrop margins. It can occur in full sun of powerline clearings and old fields. | |
| Phenology | Blooms from August to October, and fruits from September to November. | |
| Identification | This is a rather small to medium herb, growing to about 1 foot tall, but is quite slender. It has several branches from the upper part of the stem, and numerous very needle-like opposite leaves, each about 1-inch long. In general vegetative look, it is similar to several other Agalinis species of dry places, such as A. setacea and A. decemloba; however, the flowers of this species are completely unlike any others. Each of the few flowers that terminate a branch have the upper 2 lobes arched downward to nearly cover or shade the opening; otherwise, the flower is rose-pink and about 2/3-inch long and across. This species does not usually occur in large colonies as to color a wooded margin completely rose-pink. However, it is moderately widespread, such that active biologists should encounter it fairly frequently, at least when the flowers emerge in very late summer or fall. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | None
| |
| Other Common Name(s) | Slenderleaf False Foxglove, Common Gerardia | |
| State Rank | S4 [S5] | |
| Global Rank | G5 | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | FACU link |
| USACE-emp | FAC link |
