About Buchnera floridana Gand.
Buchnera floridana Gand. is a hairy perennial herb with simple, erect stems that reach 40 to 80 cm in height. Its leaves are arranged oppositely, and range in shape from elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, with margins that are either entire or irregularly serrate. Each leaf measures 3 to 7 cm long and 5 to 15 mm wide. Unlike the related species Buchnera americana, the leaves of B. floridana are not 3-veined.
The inflorescence of B. floridana is an open spike, holding bilaterally symmetrical flowers that are either purple or white. The flowers have 5 petals that form a tube, which bends abruptly at a right angle. There are up to four fertile stamens, each with anthers that contain a single pollen sac. Its seed capsule is ovoid or pyriform in shape, and measures 5 to 6 mm in size.
Ecologically, B. floridana is mostly restricted to the coastal plain of the southeastern United States. Its typical habitats include pine savannas, flatwoods, seepage bogs, and sandy roadsides. This species is considered to have low forage value. It acts as a host plant for Brevipalpus phoenicis, a mite that vectors viral diseases including citrus leprosis disease.
