Mecardonia acuminata (Walter) Small

Size and Growth Habit

Mecardonia acuminata (Walter) Small is an erect plant that grows 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 inches) tall.

Leaf Characteristics

Its leaves are arranged oppositely along the stem, and range in shape from oblanceolate to elliptic. Leaves measure 1 to 4.5 cm (0.4 to 1.8 inches) long, and 5 to 12 mm (0.20 to 0.47 inches) wide.

Flower Appearance

When blooming, M. acuminata produces flowers that are white, or have a lavender tint. The entire corolla can reach 7 to 11 mm (0.28 to 0.43 inches) in length.

Fruiting and Flowering Period

This species flowers from July to September, and bears fruit from August to October.

Native Geographic Range

The native range of M. acuminata stretches from Delaware to peninsular Florida, and extends westward to eastern Texas.

Wetland Classification

The United States Department of Agriculture classifies this species as a facultative wetland plant: this means it grows most often in wetland environments, but can also grow in non-wetland habitats.

Habitat Types

It has been recorded growing in marshes, wet pine savannas, and bottomland forests. In some parts of its native range, M. acuminata grows in low-fertility soils on terrain with little slope.