A Member of the Loganiaceae

In early May, Justin Thomas and I took our annual botany trip; this year, we botanized in South Carolina. I finally had a chance to look through my photos from the trip and will be posting more later. In the meantime, here is what may be the only current member of the family Loganiaceae that I've ever seen.


This is Spigelia marilandica, an herbaceous species of mesic forests and streambanks found throughout the southeastern United States from Maryland to Texas and south. With tubular corollas and bright red corolla tubes, there is no question why this species is preferred by hummingbirds for its nectar.


The genus of Indian Pink or Pinkroot, as it is known, is named after Adrian Spiegel, who may have been the first to describe how to prepare an herbarium.