Scarlet Pimpernel (Poor Man’s Weatherglass)
Family:
Primulaceae (Primroses)
Description:
A tender annual, branched from the base, with square stems. Flowers terminal and arising singly on long stems from leaf axils; petals united at base as a very short tube, deeply 5-lobed; less than ½ inch wide; scarlet or brick-red, rarely white or bluish. Blooms May-September. Leaves opposite, stalkless, ovate, with dots underneath, with or without hairs, to ¾ inch long. Fruit a tiny, round capsule that opens its “lid” to disperse seeds.
Size:
Height: to about 6 inches.
Habitat and conservation:
Found in fields, pastures, waste places, rights-of-way and other disturbed sites, usually in moist soils. This plant can develop roots at the stem nodes and spread to form a mat. A native of Eurasia, this plant has been spread all over the world, where the climate permits it to grow.
Distribution in Missouri:
Occurs in central, east-central and southern Missouri.
Status:
The name "pimpernel" is a form of the original Latin name for this plant. In the early 1900s, a novel, stage play and, later, musicals, movies and TV shows depicted a fictional masked hero called "The Scarlet Pimpernel." Set in France during the Reign of Terror, the mysterious, dashing hero signs his letters only with a drawing of this little red flower, so common in Europe.
Human connections:
This plant has a long history as a medicinal herb that goes back to the Greek scholars Pliny and Dioscorides. Over the centuries and in various countries, it has been used as a remedy for poor complexion, depression, rabies, weak vision, hard-to-remove splinters—and witchcraft!
Ecosystem connections:
The flowers close around 4 p.m., or whenever clouds shade the sun. When the sun comes out again, they reopen—hence the common name "weatherglass." This is probably an adaption that maximizes the amount of pollination that can occur while lengthening the life of each flower structure. MDC's Mission, Vision, Priorities
MDC protects and manages Missouri's fish, forest, and wildlife resources.
We also facilitate your participation in resource-management activities, and we provide opportunities for you to use, enjoy and learn about nature.
Shortened URL
http://mdc.mo.gov/node/19039
