Linaria canadensis (L.) Chaz. var. texana (Scheele) Pennell 



BLUE TOADFLAX 



Figwort Family (Scrophulariaceae) 



CONSERVATION STATUS 



U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service: None. 



Bureau of Land Management: None. 



Montana Natural Heritage Program: G4G5 SI ; Probably secure on a rangewide basis, but 

 may be critically imperiled in Montana where it is extremely rare. 



DESCRIPTION: Blue toadflax is a slender annual with erect, unbranched stems, 1-5 dm (4-20 in) 

 tall. There is a rosette of prostrate stems at the base; the leaves of which are narrowly oblong, 5-10 

 mm long, and opposite or in whorls of 3. Stem leaves are narrower; the lower are opposite or in 

 whorls of 3, becoming alternate above. Foliage is glabrous, often with a thin, bluish, waxy coating. 

 Short-stalked flowers are borne in an elongating, spike-like inflorescence. The snapdragon-like blue 

 flowers, 8-12 mm long, have 5 sepals and a 2-lipped corolla. The lower lip is horizontal and 3- 

 lobed, while the upper is 2-lobed and erect. There is a linear, down-curved spur, 2-1 1 mm long, at 

 the base of the corolla. The fruit is a globose, many-seeded capsule, 2-4 mm high. Flowering in 

 May-June. 



The blue, spurred flowers and basal rosette of prostrate stems are diagnostic. 



Current taxonomic treatments regard this as a distinct species, Nuttallanthus texanus (Scheele) D. A. 

 Sutton. There are no other closely related species or varieties in the state. It is not to be mistaken by 

 its common name with the exotic species, Dalmatian toadflax {Linaria dalmatica); treated in a 

 separate genus by this taxonomic revision. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 



Global distribution: Eastern 2/3 of the United 

 States, southeastern Canada, northern Mexico, 

 and along the Pacific Coast from British 

 Columbia south to Baja (Great Plains Flora 

 Association 1986). 



Montana distribution: Two occurrences are 

 known from eastern Montana in Carter and 

 Dawson counties. 



Carter County distribution: The species was 

 collected in 1 986 by Peter Lesica fi-om the Alzada 



Unaiia t 

 Blue Toadflax 



90 



