Hackelia deflexa

Hackelia deflexa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Boraginales
Family:	Boraginaceae
Genus:	Hackelia
Species:	H. deflexa
Binomial name
Hackelia deflexa (Wahlenb.) Opiz.

Hackelia deflexa is a vascular flowering plant in the borage family known by the common names, northern stickseed, nodding stickseed, and American stickseed

Distribution

It is native in many northern locations from much of Canada (including the province of Alberta, where it is an S3 vulnerable species, and New Brunswick where it is S1 critically imperiled) and the Northern USA as well as in Europe (Spain, France, Italy, Austria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, etc.) and in Korea and Japan (where it is critically endangered). It can be found growing in moist woods and thickets in habitat that is shaded, partially shaded, or sunny.

Description

Hackelia deflexa grows to an average height of 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m). Its ovate basil leaves have stalks and rounded tips, while upper leaves grow progressively smaller, and stop developing stalks as they reach increased heights. Leaves can be 5 to 12 cm (2.0 to 4.7 in) long and up to just over 3 cm (1.2 in) wide. They have a rough texture on their upper surface, and are hairy. Stem leaves grow alternately on erect single (generally) stems that are "much branched with short fine hairs throughout", and are "narrowly lance-elliptic, tapered equally at both ends with a pointed or blunt tip".

Hackelia deflexa propagates by seed. It produces light blue to white, and sometimes purplish flowers consisting of 5 petals. Once it has flowered and been pollinated, produces a small nutlet with tiny prickly barbs on it. These barbs allow the nutlet to stick to animal fur and human clothing as it is brushed up against, thus allowing seed to be transported and dispersed as far as the unsuspecting traveller takes it.