corn gromwell
Family
BoraginaceaeScientific Name
Buglossoides arvensis
Other Common Names:
puccoon
Synonyms (former Scientific Names):
Lithospermum arvense
Habit
This slender erect annual flowers from March to June.
Leaves
Leaves are linear or lanceolate, 1.5 to 6 cm in length, and 2 to 15 mm wide. The leaves are hairy on both surfaces, and lack petioles. The topmost leaves also tend to be smaller than lower leaves.
Identifying Characteristics
When there are several stems, the central one is usually the largest.
Flower Seed Head
Bluish-white flowers grow from the leaf axils of the upper leaves. Flowers are funnel shaped, ranging from 2 to 4 mm in diameter. The flowers are closely packed in the inflorescence, but become more widely spaced as they become fruit.
Seed Fruit
The seeds are grayish brown, dull, ovoids generally 3mm in length.
Where Found
An introduced species from Eurasia, this plant can be found growing in sandy fields, roadsides, and waste places.
Growth Habit
upright and nonwoody
Thorns or Spines
not present
Approximate Flower Diameter
pencil
Dominant Flower Color
Varies:
white,
blue
Flower Symmetry
not symmetrical
Leaf Hairs
has hairs
Leaf Shape
lance
Leaf Arrangement
alternate
Leaf Margin
entire
Leaf Structure
simple
Leaf Stalk
none
Stem Hairs
has hairs
Stem Cross Section
round or oval
Milky Sap
not present
Root Structure
Varies:
fibrous,
taproot
Life Cycle
winter annual
Ochrea
not present
Plant Type
Herb