Bartram’s rosegentian
By LYNN ARTZ, SANDY TEDDER and DAVID RODDENBERRY
Bartram’s rosegentian (Sabatia decandra) is an exquisite wetland wildflower with 10-12 dazzling pink petals. Each petal has at its base a canary-yellow point outlined in red. These meet to form a central starburst. The stunning blooms force cross-pollination by acting first as male flowers with long orange pollen-laden stamens dusting visitors. The flowers later become female as the stamens dry up and the central pollen-receptive stigma untwists and rises to a standing Y-shape. Also called Bartram’s marsh-pink, these 2-foot-tall wildflowers grow in wet flatwoods and at the edge of sunny marshes. Four years ago, David Roddenberry rescued 3 plants that had been uprooted by vehicle incursion into a swale and brought them to Sopchoppy Depot Park. Though hard to grow, one plant survived and has flowered for 3 years.
