SeedboxInflorescence - Single axillary flowers from upper leaves. Bracts to 3mm long.
Flowers - Petals 4, yellow, free, 5-7mm long and broad, emarginate to rounded at apex, glabrous. Stamens 4, alternating with petals. Filaments brownish-yellow, glabrous, 1.5mm long. Anthers 2.2.5mm long, yellow. Style green, 2-3mm long, glabrous. Stigma green, capitate. Ovary inferior, 4-locular. Placentation axile. Floral tube 4-angled, 4mm long and broad, winged on angles, wings 1.5mm broad. Sepals 4, -1cm long, 6mm broad, (slightly larger in flower), ovate, acute, glabrous.
Other info. - The flowers are fairly showy and larger than in any other Missouri species from the genus. The species name comes from the fact that the leaves are alternate. The flowers petals fall off very easily if the plant is shaken or disturbed.
The plant varies in the amount of pubescence on the stems and leaves. Some plants can be completely glabrous.
