Todd needs assistance with this plant's ID

I as well as others have been searching for this plant's ID for Todd_Boland. He states: " I seem to recall this one had a rosettes of leaves with a leafless stalk about 2 feet tall. I would guess it is in the figwort family...flowers sort of remind me of a penstemon." and "The individual flowers are about an inch across...much larger than any verbena I've ever seen. They were growing by a roadside at Lake Corpus Christi. There were lots around there." Please go to the Plant ID Forum to add any comments so that the information is kept in one place. This plant has wonderful blooms.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/710055/

Hazel,
Have you had any success with this one? I spent a little time and came up with two that looked similar.... V. neomexicana var neomexicana and V. simplex. This last one is found in Missouri, but someone could have transported seed. Did Todd take any photos of the leaves and the rosette? I remember reading that some verbenas are very difficult to differentiate between species. Flowers aren't always the only different feature between species. I wonder, since it was by the roadside, if it could be an introduced or escaped domestic plant?

Unfortunately I did not get any leaf pictures. It was a windy day and showery..I took 7 pictures...this was the only one that was in focus. It was a very showy plant and I should also note that each plant only produced a single flowering stem...sort of gave me the impression it might be monocarpic.

bettydee, I found V. neomexicana var neomexicana also, but Todd said he didn't think that this is it. I am looking at plants other than verbena.

Todd, I sure know how difficult it is to attempt to take photos on cloudy, dreary amd windy days. We haven't had many sunny calm days nor many sunny windy days this spring.

bettydee, I found V. neomexicana var neomexicana also, but Todd said he didn't think that this is it. I am looking at plants other than verbena.

Todd, I sure know how difficult it is to attempt to take photos on cloudy, dreary amd windy days. We haven't had many sunny calm days nor many sunny windy days this spring.

I keep staring at the plant and telling myself that I know what this plant is ... it just won't struggle up from the depths of my mind. I haven't done much else except search for it the past 2 days.

Me too, it is driving me nuts.

Bump ... I still have not found the ID for this plant for Todd. Anybody recognize it?

You know Hazel, the flowers look like Verbena, but arrangement looks like Larkspur.
Could it be a spontaneous cross? Just wondering.
Josephine.

My first thought was Larkspur (because of the very same flower geometry)

tried to edit in a link, will try again

This message was edited Apr 24, 2007 9:05 PM

Tall larkspur, same pattern, different looking flowers.
link
http://www.northcreeknurseries.com/_ccLib/image/plants/DETA-158.jpg