Scutellaria alabamensis
Appearance
Alabama skullcap | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Lamiaceae |
Genus: | Scutellaria |
Species: | S. alabamensis
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Binomial name | |
Scutellaria alabamensis Alexander
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Scutellaria alabamensis, known as Alabama skullcap, is a rare and endangered wildflower, endemic only to 9 counties in North central Alabama.[1][2]
Description[edit]
Alabama skullcap is an erect perennial herb, usually 4.5–6 cm tall, that produces blue and white flowers in an elongated cluster (rarely, flanked by 2 lateral clusters). Blooms early June-early July. [3]
It is one of 300-400 members of the Scutellaria genus of flowering plants, commonly known as skullcaps. [4][circular reference]. The skullcap name is because of the resemblance to medieval helmets.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Scutellaria_alabamensis_plant.jpg/220px-Scutellaria_alabamensis_plant.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Scutellaria_alabamensis_leaf.jpg/220px-Scutellaria_alabamensis_leaf.jpg)