[The Genus Valerianella East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Blue-flowered Corn-salad, European Corn Salad, Lewiston Corn-salad, Lamb's-lettuce

Valerianella locusta

Synonym: Valerianella olitoria

Inflorescence of Blue-flowered Corn-salad,European Corn Salad, Lewiston Cornsalad, Lamb's-lettuce: Valerianella locusta (Synonym: Valerianella olitoria)

The photo above clearly shows the dichotomous branching of the stem branches of blue-flowered corn-salad, the paired, opposite leaves and the terminal inflorescences subtended by numerous leafy bracts.

Characteristics:

Blue-flowered corn-salad is a weak-stemmed annual with mostly smooth herbage and dichotomously branched stems. The stems range from 15-30 cm long. The basal leaves are spatulate and 3-5 cm long and 6-15 mm wide with entire margins. The upper stem leaves are broadly linear to oblong, entire or slightly toothed, and from 1.5-2 cm long.

The inflorescences are head-like cymes from 6-12 mm wide. The bracts beneath the inflorescence are linear. The corollas are pink or bluish and about 2 mm long. The 5 petals or lobes are about equal in length to the short tube.


Habitat:

Blue-flowered corn-salad may be found in moist, open soils along roadsides, on cultivated fields, and in other disturbed places.


Range:

A weedy species, blue-flowered corn-salad may now be found over much of the United States.


Blue-flowered Corn-salad,European Corn Salad, Lewiston Cornsalad, Lamb's-lettuce: Valerianella locusta (Synonym: Valerianella olitoria)


Paul Slichter