''Agalinis gattingeri'', the roundstem false foxglove, is an

annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook **Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), a ...

hemiparasitic A parasitic plant is a plant that derives some or all of its nutritional requirements from another living plant. They make up about 1% of angiosperms and are found in almost every biome. All parasitic plants develop a specialized organ called the ...

forb A forb or phorb is a herbaceous flowering plant that is not a graminoid (grass, sedge, or rush). The term is used in botany and in vegetation ecology especially in relation to grasslands and understory. Typically, these are eudicots without woo ...

measuring between 10.5 and 60.5 cm in height.

Description

''Agalinis gattingeri'' is an annual species with upright, slender, round

stem Stem or STEM most commonly refers to: * Plant stem, a structural axis of a vascular plant * Stem group * Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics Stem or STEM can also refer to: Language and writing * Word stem, part of a word respon ...

s which are hairless. The stems end with many or few branches. The narrow-linear leaves measuring 10 to 34 mm in length by 0.4 to 1 mm in width. The leaves are shorter that the

pedicel Pedicle or pedicel may refer to: Human anatomy *Pedicle of vertebral arch, the segment between the transverse process and the vertebral body, and is often used as a radiographic marker and entry point in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures ...

s. It has pinkish, tubular flowers, blooming through late summer and fall, that are 7– 30 mm in length with numerous red spots and two yellow lines on the lower lip. Single flowers often arise terminally on branches rather than on the stem. The five lobed flowers have two upper lobes that are smaller and more united than the larger three lower lobes. The seed capsules are rounded, with numerous yellow to tan seeds that measure 0.5 to 1.2 mm in length.

Habitat

''Agalinis gattingeri'' grows in drier areas of remnant

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

s and

alvar An alvar is a biological environment based on a limestone plain with thin or no soil and, as a result, sparse grassland vegetation. Often flooded in the spring, and affected by drought in midsummer, alvars support a distinctive group of prairie ...

. In Minnesota it grows in hillside prairies in rocky and sandy soils that are dry, sunny and south facing.

Conservation status

Populations are declining across much of the plant's range, especially in its northern portion, where ''Agalinis gattingeri'' is listed as threatened or endangered in many of the

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

s and

provinces A province is an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outside Italy. The term ''provi ...

in which it occurs. Prior to 2007, it was unknown in

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

, where there is a single known population, and in

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

it is restricted to nine sites in the southern portion of the province. Its chief threats are

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...

and human encroachment.

References

gattingeri Flora of the Northeastern United States Flora of the North-Central United States Flora of the South-Central United States Flora of the Southeastern United States Flora of Western Canada Flora of Eastern Canada {{Orobanchaceae-stub