Wildflowers of

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

2591 Whitehall Neck Road

Smyrna, Delaware 19977

302-653-9345

A Preliminary List

Compiled by: Norman E. Holgersen, Wildlife Biologist

January, 1974

Updated: December, 1995
Wildflowers of the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Arrowhead Family (Alismataceae)

Arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia

Water-plantain Alisma subcordatum

Frog’s - bit Family (Hydrocharitaceae)

American frogbit Limnobium spongia

Arum Family (Araceae)

Jack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema triphyllum

Skunk cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus

Arrow arum Peltandra virginica

Yellow-eyed Grass Family (Xyridaceae)

Yellow-eyed grass Xyris iridifolia

Spiderwort Family (Commelinaceae)

Asiatic dayflower Commelina communis

Pickerelweed Family (Pontederiaceae)

Mud-plantain Heteranthera reniformis

Pickerelweed Pontederia cordata

Lily Family (Liliaceae)

Perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata

Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum umbellatum

Trout-lily Erythronium americanum

Turk’s-cap lily Lilium superbum

Day-Lilly Hermerocallis fulva

Field garlic Allium vineale

False Solomon’s seal Smilacina racemosa

Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
Iris Family (Iridaceae)

Larger blue flag Iris versicolor

Orchid Family (Orchidaceae)

Nodding ladies’-tresses Spiranthes cernua

Slender ladies’-tresses Spiranthes lacera

Ladies’-tresses Spiranthes sp.

Rattlesnake-plantain Goodyera pubescens

Showy orchis Orchis spectabilis

Crane-fly orchid Tipularia discolor

Lizard’s-tail Family (Saururaceae)

Lizard’s-tail Saururus cernuus

Buckwheat Family (Polygonaceae)

Virginia knotweed Tovara virginiana

Sheep sorral Rumex acetosella

Curly dock Rumex crispus

Water dock Rumex verticillatus

Arrow-leaved tearthumb Polygonum sgittatum

Halberd-leaved tearthumb Polygonum arifolium

Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum

Common smartweed Polygonum hydropiper

Swamp smartweed Polygonum coccineum

Goosefoot Family (Chenopodiaceae)

Lamb’s quarters Chenopodium album

Orache Atriplex patula

Glasswort Salicornia spp.

Amaranth Family (Amaranthaceae)

Tide marsh waterhemp Acnida cannabina

Green amaranth Amaranthus retroflexus

Nettle Family (Urticaceae)

Stinging nettle Urtica dioica

False nettle Boehmeria cylindrica
Pokeweed Family (Phytolaccaceae)

Pokeweed Phytolacca americana

Purslane Family (Portulacacaea)

Spring-beauty Claytonia virginica

Plantain Family (Plantaginaceae)

Common plantain Plantago major

Bracted plantain Plantago aristata

Pink Family (Caryophyllaceae)

Chickweed Stellaria media

Deptford pink Dianthus armeria

Water-Lily Family (Nymphaeaceae)

Spatterdock Nuphar advena

Fragrant waterlily Nymphaea odorata

Buttercup Family (Ranumculaceae)

Rue anemone Anemonella thalictroides

Wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia

Black cohosh Cimicifuga racemosa

Buttercup Ranunculus spp.

Barberry Family (Berberidaceae)

May apple Podophyllum peltatum

Poppy Family (Papaveraceae)

Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis

Caper Family (Capparidaceae)

Spider-flower Cleome spinosa

Mustard Family (Cruciferae or Brassicaceae)

Cut-leaved toothwort Dentaria laciniata

Mustard Brassica spp.
Saxifrage Family (Saxifragaceae)

Alumroot Heuchera americana

Sedum Family (Crassulaceae)

Ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides

Rose Family (Rosaceae)

Common strawberry Fragaria virginiana

Blackberry Rubus sp.

Common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex

Agrimony Agrimonia gryposepala

Rough avens Geum virginianum

Pea Family (Leguminosae or Fabaceae)

White sweet clover Melilotus alba

Yellow sweet clover Melilotus officinalis

Smaller hop clover Trifolium procumbens

Rabbit’s-foot clover Trifolium arvense

Red clover Trifolium pratense

Alsike clover Trifolium hybridum

Partridge pea Cassia fasciculata

Wild sensitive-plant Cassia nictitans

Rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis

Pink wild bean Strophostyles umbellata

Alfalfa Medicago sativa

Groundnut Apios americana

Naked-flowered tick-trefoil Desmodium nudiflorum

Panicled tick-trefoil Desmodium paniculatum

Hoary tick-trefoil Desmodium canescens

Round-headed bush cover Lespedeza capitata

Bicolor lespedeza Lespedeza bicolor

Wood-sorrel Family (Oxalidaceae)

Violet wood-sorrel Oxalis violacea

Yellow wood-sorrel Oxalis europaea

Upright yellow wood-sorrel Oxalis stricta
Geranium Family (Geraniaceae)

Wild geranium Geranium maculatum

Milkwort Family (Polygalaceae)

Field milkwort Polygala sanguinea

Spurge Family (Euphorbiaceae)

Spurge Euphorbia spp.

Touch-me-not Family (Balsaminaceae)

Spotted touch-me-not Impatiens capensis

Mallow Family (Malvaceae)

Cheeses Malva neglecta

Velvetleaf Abutilon theophrasti

Rose mallow Hibiscus palustris

Seashore mallow Kosteletskya virginica

St. Johnswort Family (Guttiferae)

Common St. Johnswort Hypericum perforatum

Dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum

Spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum

Pineweed Hypericum gentianoides

Violet Family (Violaceae)

Violet Viola spp.

Loosestrife Family (Lythraceae)

Swamp loosestrife Decedon verticillatus

Meadow beauty Family (Melastomataceae)

Maryland meadow beauty Rhexia mariana

Virginia meadow beauty Rhexia virginica

Evening-primrose Family (Onagraceae)

Enchanter’s nightshade Circaea quadrisulcata

Sundrops Oenothera sp.

Common evening primrose Oenothera biennis

Seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia

Creeping primrose-willow Jussiaea repens
Parsley or Carrot Family (Apiaceae or Umbelliferae)

Water-pennyroot Hydrocotyle americana

Wild carrot Daucus carota

Water hemlock Cicuta maculata

Honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis

Mock bisho’s-weed Ptilimnium capillaceum

Wintergreen Family (pyrolaceae)

Spotted wintergreen Chimaphila maculata

Indian Pipe Family (Monotropaceae)

Indian pipe Monotropa uniflora

Primrose Family (Primulaceae)

Featherfoil Hottonia inflata

Yellow loosestrife Lysimachia terrestris

Fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata

Moneywort Lysimachia nummularia

Scarlet pimpernel Anagallis arvensis

Sea-lavender Family (Plumbaginaceae)

Sea-lavender Limonium carolinianum

Gentian Family (Gentianaceae)

Rose pink Sabatia angularis

Vervain Family (Verbenaceae)

White vervain Verbena urticifolia

Blue vervain Verbena hastata

Milkweed Family (Asclepiadaceae)

Butterfly-weed Asclepias tuberosa

Common milkweed Asclepias syriaca

Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata

Green milkweed Acerates viridiflora
Morning-glory Family (Convolvulaceae)

Dodder Cuscuta gronovii

Field bindweed Convolvulus arvensis

Hedge bindweed Convolvulus sepium

Common morning-glory Ipomoea purpurea

Wild potato-vine Ipomoea pandurata

Ivy-leaved morning-glory Ipomoea hederacea

Forget-me-not Family (Boraginaceae)

Wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum

Mint Family (Lamiaceae)

Germander Teucrium canadense

Hairy Skullcap Scutellaria elliptica

Common Skullcap Scutellaria epilobiifolia

Mad-dog Skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora

Cut-leaved water-horehound Lycopus americanus

Bugleweed Lycopus sp.

Gill-over-the-ground Glechoma hederacea

Heal-all Prunella vulgaris

Lyre-leaved sage Salvia lyrata

Spearmint Mentha spicata

Narrow-leaved mountain-mint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium

Bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum

Horse-balm Collinsonia canadensis

Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)

Horse-nettle Solanum carolinense

Climbing Nightshade Solanum dulcamara

Jimsonweed Datura stramonium

Snapdragon Family (Scrophulariaceae)

Moth mullein Verbascum blattaria

Common mullein Verbascum virgatum

Butter-and-eggs Linaria vulgaris

Blue toadflax Linaria canadensis

Purple gerardia Agalinis purpurea

Maryland Figwort Scrophularia marilandica
Trumpet Creeper Family (Bignoniaceae)

Trumpet-creeper Campsis radicans

Bladderwort Family (Lentibulariaceae)

Bladderwort Utricularia sp.

Acanthus Family (Acanthaceae)

Hairy ruellia Ruellia caroliniensis

Lopseed Family (Phrymaceae)

Lopseed Phryma leptostachya

Bedstraw Family (Rubiaceae)

Bedstraw Galium sp.

Partridgeberry Mitchella repens

Bluets Houstonia caerules

Honeysuckle Family (Caprifoliaceae)

Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica

Bluebell Family (Campanulaceae)

Cardinal-flower Lobelia cardinalis

Downy lobelia Lobelia puberula

Indian tobacco Lobelia inflata

Venus’ looking-glass Specularia perfoliata

Sunflower or Daisy Family (Asteraceae or Compositae)

Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum

Hyssop-leaved thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium

Joe-Pye-weed Eupatorium dubium

Hollow Joe-Pye weed Eupatorium fistulosum

Round-leaved thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium

New York ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis

Common burdock Arctium minus

Canada thistle Cirsium arvense

Bull thistle Cirsium vulgare

Nodding thistle Carduus nutans

Common ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
Sunflower or Daisy Family (Asteraceae or Compositae)

Yarrow Achillea millefolium

Chicory Cichorium intybus

Pilewort Erechtites hieracifolia

Horseweed Erigeron canadensis

Daisy fleabane Erigeron annuus

Pussytoes Antennaria neglecta

Golden ragwort Senecio aureus

Woolly ragwort Senecio tomentosus

Common dandelion Taraxacum officinale

Dwarf dandelion Krigia virginica

Spiny-leaved sow-thistle Sonchus asper

Prickly lettuce Lactuca scariola

Wild lettuce Lactuca canadensis

Climbing hempweed Mikania scandens

Salt-marsh fleabane Pluchea purpurascens

Hairy hawkweed Hieracium gronovii

Galinsoga Galinsoga ciliate

Sweet everlasting Gnaphalium obtusifolium

Black-eyed susan Rudbeckia hirta

Oxeye daisy Chrysanthemum leucanthemum

Tall sunflower Helianthus giganteus

Tickseed sunflower Bidens aristosa

Smooth bur marigold Bidens laevis

Seaside goldenrod Solidago sempervirens

Tall goldenrod Solidago altissima

Rough-stemmed goldenrod Solidago rugosa

Blue-stemmed goldenrod Solidago caesia

Lance-leaved goldenrod Solidago graminifolia

Early goldenrod Solidago juncea

Annual saltmarsh aster Aster subulatus

Aster Aster spp.

Common and scientific names primarily from A Field Guide to Wildflowers by Peterson and

McKenny, 1968.

Updated in December 1995 with names primarily from National Audubon Society Field Guide to

North American Wildflowers: Eastern Region by Niering and Olmstead, 1995.