Louisiana Bluestar

Amsonia ludoviciana Vail; Small, Fl. SE
U. S. 935. 1903.
Stems 5-11 dm. tall; leaves alternate, membranaceous, rather broadly elliptic, 5-8 cm. long, 2-4 cm. broad, acuminate, glabrous or essentially so above, densely and persistently tomentulose beneath, the petioles 4-8 mm. long; inflorescence barely surpassing the foliage, bearing several to numerous pale-blue flowers; pedicels 2-4 mm. long; calyx-lobes ovatelanceolate, 2-3 mm. long, pilosulous; corolla more or less pilose externally, the tube 5-9 mm. long, about 1,5 mm. in diameter at the base, somewhat inflated above the insertion of the stamens, not constricted at the orifice, the lobes 4-8 mm. long, spreading; follicles relativelystout, continuous, 6-10 cm. long, more or less pubescent, especially above.
Type locality: Louisiana. Distribution: Southeastern Louisiana.