Mecardonia acuminata

Identification tip: May be confused with Gratiola neglecta which is a sweet smelling annual forb that blooms in the spring, has round stems, and feels clammy due to fine, glandular hairs on the upper stem and leaves, pedicels, and sepals, while Mecardonia acuminata is not sweet smelling, does not feel clammy, and has square stems. Mecardonia procumbens is sometimes found in coastal prairie and also has square stems but has yellow flowers, leaves less than 25 mm long, and is procumbent, while Mecardonia acuminata has white flowers, usually with purple stripes, leaves more than 3 cm long, and is erect.

Found in ditches, bogs, depressions in fields, prairies, swamps and pine savanna of Louisiana and east Texas.

Marshes, savannas, alluvial woods, and low roadsides, ditches, bogs, field depressions, prairies, swamps, flat plains, banks of streams and ponds.