Clasping Venus' Looking-glass (Triodanis perfoliata (L.) Nieuwl.)
↑Summary
An annual native to North and South America; introduced onto several other continents. One of many small, inconspicuous plants that usually go unnoticed except when people see its colorful flowers.
The common name references two things: the fact that the leaves clasp the stem at the base, and the resemblance to the European species "Venus' Looking-glass" Legousia speculum-veneris, which is named for its conspicuously shiny seeds, a characteristic not as noticeable on this species.
↑Range - Expand
| Legend | Color |
| Native | |
| Native or Not Present |
This tentative map is based on our own research. It may have limited data on Canada and/or Mexico, and there is some subjectivity in our assignment of plants as introduced vs. expanded. Read more in this blog post.
↑Habitat
Prefers full sunlight and sandy or gravely soil, with mesic to dry conditions, but can tolerate partial sun in otherwise exposed conditions.
Found in sunny, sparsely vegetated open ground: grasslands with sandy or gravely soils, roadsides and railroads. In urban areas, barren vacant lots, cracks in sidewalk, and sunny areas up against buildings. Humans have created a lot of habitat for this species, but it is erratic and not usually abundant.
↑Related Plants
This is the most common and widespread of seven Triodanis species in North America. All are native. The European plant by a similar common name, Legousia speculum-veneris is slightly more distantly related, and has become established at a few isolated sites in Pennsylvania and California.
Numerous other plants of Campanulaceae, the bellflower family, also occur in its range, including both native and introduced species.
↑Links & External Resources
• Triodanis perfoliata (Venus' Looking Glass) | Illinois Wildflowers (About This Site)
• Triodanis perfoliata (Clasping Venus' Looking-glass) | USDA PLANTS Database (About This Site)
• Triodanis perfoliata | Go Botany (About This Site)
• Triodanis perfoliata | Biota of North America Project (BONAP) (About This Site)
• Triodanis perfoliata | NatureServe Explorer (About This Site)
• Triodanis perfoliata | Missouri Plants (About This Site)
• Clasping Venus Looking-glass | Maryland Biodiversity Project (About This Site)
• Triodanis perfoliata (Clasping-leaved Venus' Looking-glass) | Minnesota Wildflowers (About This Site)
↑Photo gallery
