About Houstonia purpurea L.
Houstonia purpurea, previously classified as Hedyotis purpurea, is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family. Its common names are Venus's pride, woodland bluet, and purple bluet. This species is native to the eastern United States, ranging from eastern Texas and Oklahoma eastward to Florida and Pennsylvania, with scattered populations found in Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan, New York State, and New England. Three varieties of Houstonia purpurea are recognized. The rarest of these, Houstonia purpurea var. montana, commonly called Roan Mountain bluet, is a federally listed endangered species in the United States. This variety grows only in the southern Appalachians along the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. It is named for Roan Mountain, one of the very few mountain peaks where it occurs.
