About Phacelia ranunculacea (Nutt.) Constance
Phacelia ranunculacea (Nutt.) Constance, commonly known as oceanblue phacelia or western buttercup phacelia, is a North American annual forb species belonging to the borage family. It is native to a limited area of the eastern United States, located in the valleys of the Mississippi River and lower Ohio River. Within this native region, it grows in bottomland and floodplain forests. It produces pale blue flowers in early spring. This species was formerly treated as a synonym of Phacelia covillei, but was separated from P. covillei in 2006 using evidence from chromosomal, morphological, and geographical studies. P. ranunculacea differs from P. covillei in the form of its midstem pubescence and the shape of its terminal leaves.
