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Houstonia longifolia

Gaertn.

Longleaf Bluet

G5Secure Found in 43 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.149367
Element CodePDRUB1T0E0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRubiales
FamilyRubiaceae
GenusHoustonia
Synonyms
Hedyotis longifolia(Gaertn.) Hook.
Other Common Names
Houstonie à longues feuilles (FR) Longleaf Summer Bluet (EN) longleaf summer bluet (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
This record is for a broad treatment of Houstonia longifolia, including the variety H. longifolia var. tenuifolia, as recognized in Kartesz (1994). Kartesz (1999) included H. longifolia var. tenuifolia in synonymy (not accepted it as distinct from typical H. longifolia). Weakley et al. (2025) accept H. tenuifolia (=H. longifolia var. tenuifolia) as a distinct species, recognizing H. longifolia more narrowly (equivalent in concept to H. longifolia var. longifolia as recognized in Kartesz (1994)). Varieties of Houstonia longifolia were described by Terrell (1959): var. longifolia, var. compacta, and var. glabra , but intergrading characters of specimens made their distinctness uncertain. Weakley et al. (2025) and Haines (2025) recognize the distinct varieties and Houstonia tenuifolia as a distinct species. However, see Haines (2025) for an explanation of nomenclatural issues.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-05-12
Change Date2016-05-12
Ecology & Habitat
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
SaskatchewanS4Yes
AlbertaS3Yes
OntarioS4Yes
ManitobaS4Yes
QuebecS1Yes
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
KentuckySNRYes
ConnecticutS2Yes
VermontS2Yes
GeorgiaSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
Rhode IslandSHYes
IndianaSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
KansasSHYes
MaineS2Yes
TexasSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
West VirginiaS4Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
MississippiSNRYes
New JerseySXYes
MarylandSNRYes
North CarolinaSNRYes
North DakotaSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
MassachusettsS1Yes
LouisianaSNRYes
South CarolinaSNRYes
FloridaSNRYes
New HampshireS1Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (43)
Arkansas (2)
AreaForestAcres
East ForkOzark-St. Francis National Forest13,037
Little BlakelyOuachita National Forest3,342
Georgia (3)
AreaForestAcres
Ben GapChattahoochee National Forest1,292
Lance CreekChattahoochee National Forest9,025
Sarah's CreekChattahoochee National Forest6,888
Illinois (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bay CreekShawnee National Forest120
Missouri (1)
AreaForestAcres
Swan Creek Rare II Study AreaMark Twain National Forest7,310
North Carolina (7)
AreaForestAcres
Big Indian (addition)Nantahala National Forest1,155
Chunky Gal (addition)Nantahala National Forest3,336
Graveyard Ridge (addition)Pisgah National Forest1,958
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Overflow CreekNantahala National Forest3,379
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Virginia (24)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Broad RunJefferson National Forest10,971
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Brush Mountain EastJefferson National Forest4,916
Brushy MountainJefferson National Forest4,168
Elliott KnobGeorge Washington National Forest9,380
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
Hunting Camp Little Wolf CreekJefferson National Forest8,953
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Mt. PleasantGeorge Washington National Forest8,933
North Fork PoundJefferson National Forest4,757
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Oliver MountainGeorge Washington National Forest13,090
Patterson MountainJefferson National Forest4,865
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Price MountainJefferson National Forest9,119
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
Three RidgesGeorge Washington National Forest4,745
West Virginia (5)
AreaForestAcres
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Marlin MountainMonongahela National Forest9,344
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
North Mountain HopevilleMonongahela National Forest6,525
References (5)
  1. Haines, A. 2025. The variety of northern <i>Houstonia longifolia</i> (Rubiaceae). Botanical Notes 19:3-5. Available online: http://www.arthurhaines.com/botanical-notes.
  2. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  3. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  4. Terrell, E.E. 1959. A revision of the <i>Houstonia purpurea</i> group (Rubiaceae). Rhodora 61:157-181, 188-207.
  5. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).