- You are here:
- Full Key
- All other flowering non-woody plants
- All other herbaceous, flowering dicots
- Mirabilis hirsuta
Mirabilis hirsuta — hairy umbrella-wort
Copyright: various copyright holders. To reuse an image, please click it to see who you will need to contact.
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Facts
Hairy umbrella-wort is native to the central United States, making it primarily a plant of grasslands. It has expanded its distribution to include several New England states, where it is considered introduced.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Flower petal color
- NA
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Stamen number
-
- 3
- 5
- Stem nodes swollen
- the stem is swollen at the nodes
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry but does not split open when ripe
- Fruit length
- 4–5 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
-
Flowers
- Anther attachment
- the anther is attached by its base to the filament
- Anther color
- the anthers show no hint of a pink, reddish or purplish tint
- Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
- Anther tube length
- 0 mm
- Calyx growth after flowering
- the calyx grows to cover or partially cover the fruit
- Calyx symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
- Carpels fused
-
- NA
- the carpel is solitary or (if 2 or more) the carpels are not fused to one another
- Cilia on petals
- NA
- Cleistogamous flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
- Corolla morphology
- NA
- Corolla palate
- no
- Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
- Epicalyx
- the flower does not have an epicalyx
- Epicalyx number of parts
- 0
- Filament surface
- the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
- Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
- Flower length
- At least 10 mm
- Flower number
- 3–5
- Flower orientation
- the flower points upwards or is angled outwards
- Flower petal color
- NA
- Flower reproductive parts
- the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowers sunken into stem
- no
- Form of style
- the style is knob-like at the tip, and unbranched
- Fringed petal edges
- NA
- Fused stamen clusters
- NA
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Hairs on inflorescence
- at least some of the hairs on the axis of the inflorescence have glands
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
- Hypanthium
- the flower does not have a hypanthium
- Hypanthium length
- 0 mm
- Inflorescence one-sided
- the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
- NA
- Marks on petals
- NA
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of branches in umbel
- 0
- Number of carpels
- 1
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 1
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Perianth shape
- the perianth is campanulate (bell-shaped, with a tube about as long as wide, flaring at the mouth)
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes only one cycle of petals or sepals
- Petal and sepal colors
- pink to red
- Petal appearance
- NA
- Petal base
- NA
- Petal folds or pleats
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
- Petal glandular dots or scales
- NA
- Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
- Petal hairs on inner/upper surface
- NA
- Petal length
- 0 mm
- Petal length relative to sepals
- NA
- Petal nectaries
- NA
- Petal number
- 0
- Petal shape
- NA
- Petal tip shape
- NA
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
- Petal width
- 0 mm
- Raceme attachment (Veronica)
- NA
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
- Scales inside corolla
- NA
- Sepal and petal color
- NA
- Sepal appearance
- the sepals resemble petals in color and texture
- Sepal appendages
- the sepals do not have appendages on them
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
- Sepal auricles
- the sepals have no auricles
- Sepal cilia
- the sepals do not have cilia
- Sepal color
- pink to red
- Sepal features
- NA
- Sepal length
- 10 mm
- Sepal number
- 5
- Sepal orientation
- the sepals are slightly curved outwards from the corolla
- Sepal relative length
- the sepal lobes are longer than the fused portion
- Sepal shape
-
- the sepal outline is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- the sepal outline is roughly triangular
- Sepal tip shape
-
- the sepal tip is lobed or fringed
- the sepal tip is notched
- Sepal uniformity
- all the sepals are about the same size
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are fused to each other (not other flower parts), at least near their bases
- Spur length
- 0 mm
- Spur number
- NA
- Stamen appendages
- stamen appendages are absent
- Stamen attachment
-
- the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals
- the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals
- Stamen lengths differ
- the stamens are didynamous (two long stamens and two short ones)
- Stamen morphology
- the stamens within a cycle differ in length or width
- Stamen number
-
- 3
- 5
- Stamen position relative to petals
- the stamens are lined up with the petals
- Stamen relative length
- anything
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are not attached to one another
- Stigma position
- the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style
- Style petal-like
- the styles are not petal-like
- Style relative length
- the stigma protrudes beyond the mouth of the corolla
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
- the achenes are perpendicular to the plane of the perianth (vertical)
- Achene shape
-
- the achenes are another shape in outline
- the achenes are circular in outline
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
- Achene type
- the fruit is an achene (dry, indehiscent, and usually one-seeded)
- Berry color
- NA
- Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
- Capsule ribs
- NA
- Capsule splitting
- NA
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
- NA
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is another shape in cross-section
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Fruit length
- 4–5 mm
- Fruit length relative to sepals
- the fruit is shorter than its associated sepals
- Fruit locules
- one
- Fruit shape
- the fruit is obovoid (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle)
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry but does not split open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is an achene (dry, usually one-seeded, does not separate or split open at maturity)
- Hairs on fruit
- the fruits have hairs on them
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
- Mericarp length
- 0 mm
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
- Other markings on berry
- NA
- Ovary stipe
- the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
- Ovary stipe length
- 0 mm
- Placenta arrangement
- the plant has basal placentation, where one or a few ovules develop at the base of a simple or compound ovary
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Seed number
- 1
- Seeds comose
- no hairs
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Wings on fruit
- the fruit does not have wings on it
- prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
-
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
- the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
- Sap color
- the sap is clear
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Parasitism
- the plant is not parasitic
- Plant color
- the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
- Plants darken when dry
- no
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- there is a thickened taproot on the plant
-
Leaves
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
- NA
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
- 0
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Floral bract texture
-
- the floral bracts are green, with a leaf-like texture
- the floral bracts are thin, dry and papery, possibly with a narrow green stripe at the center
- Floral bracts
- the flower has one or more bracts associated with it
- Flower bract length
- 10–20 mm
- Hairs on underside of leaf
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Hooked hairs on underside of leaf
- no
- Inflated hairs on leaf
- the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it
- Leaf arrangement
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
- the leaf has no stalk
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade base symmetry
- the leaf blade base is symmetrical
- Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf blade flatness
- the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has hairs with glands at their tips
- Leaf blade primary vein pattern
- the secondary veins branch off at intervals from the primary vein
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade texture
-
- the leaf blade has a fleshy or spongy texture
- the leaf blade is herbaceous (has a leafy texture)
- Leaf blade vein pattern
- the major veins of the leaf blade branch, but do not rejoin
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip (it may or may not have secondary veins)
- Leaf blade width
- 10–20 mm
- Leaf duration
- the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
- Leaf form
- the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
- Leaf hair orientation
- the hairs are standing up straight or curved in different directions
- Leaf sheath length
- 0 mm
- Leaf shiny
- the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
-
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
- the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade
- Leaf stalk base
- the petiole base is narrow where it attaches to the stem
- Leaf stalk length
- 0–5 mm
- Leaf teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf types
- There is a gradual change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with leaves progressively changing as one moves higher on the stem (often becoming shorter, or less toothed/lobed, and/or with shorter petioles).
- Leaf variation
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Leaflet petiolules
- NA
- Leaves per node
- there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Pinnately compound leaf type
- NA
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Stipels
- NA
- Stipule edges
- NA
- Stipule features
- NA
- Stipule fused to leaf stalk
- NA
- Stipule length
- 0 mm
- Stipule shape
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on the plant
- Teeth per side of leaf blade
- 0
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
- NA
- Direction of stem hairs
- the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards
- Hair between stem nodes
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
- Hairs between stem nodes
-
- at least some of the hairs on the stem have glands
- the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
- no
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Length of hairs between stem nodes
- 1–2 mm
- Plant height
- Up to 100 cm
- Stem bloom
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
- Stem hair distribution
- the hairs on the stem are mainly found at the nodes
- Stem nodes swollen
- the stem is swollen at the nodes
- Stem orientation
-
- the stems are upright or angled outwards
- the stems trail at the base, but may turn upwards at the tips
- Stem roughness between nodes
- the stem does not feel rough
- Stem spacing
- the plant is solitary, or a few plants are growing together
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
- Wings on stem
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Not classified
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
2. Mirabilis hirsuta (Pursh) MacM. E
hairy umbrella-wort. Allionia hirsuta Pursh; Oxybaphus hirsutus (Pursh) Sweet • CT, MA, ME, VT. Fields, roadsides, waste areas, railroads.