Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Lopseed
(American Lopseed)
Phryma leptostachya [C-value 4]
Lopseed family (Phrymaceae)
Blooms July -
mid-August
The native Lopseed is common in our area. It prefers a sheltered location that provides light to medium shade and moist to slightly dry rich woodland soil with abundant organic matter. This perennial is 1½–3' tall with pairs of opposite leaves up to 5" long and 2½" across, hairless and toothed. The upper stems terminate in slender spike-like racemes of flowers up to 1' long. The flowers are arranged in opposite pairs along the upper one-third of each raceme. Each pale purplish white flower is about 1/3" in length and tubular. While individual flowers are blooming, they are held horizontally, but shortly afterwards, their corollas fall away and their seed pods (each with only one seed) bend down and "lop" against the stalk.
Lopseed at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve July 16, 2017
Lopseed leaves at Lyon Forest Preserve July 22, 2015
Lopseed foliage at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve July 16, 2017
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