“Sewanee Purple Phacelia” Identified After Years Hiding in Plain Sight

A vibrant splash of purple that has long brightened the trails of Shakerag Hollow has just been given a name — and it turns out, it belongs to a newly discovered species of wildflower found right here on the Cumberland Plateau.

This month, Sewanee botanist Dr. Jon Evans and his colleague Dr. Ashley Morris (a 1997 Sewanee graduate now teaching at Furman University) published their discovery of Phacelia sewaneensis, also known as the Sewanee Purple Phacelia. The research, which included contributions from recent graduates J.T. Michel, C’24, and Skyler Fox, reveals that two distinct species of Phacelia have been quietly coexisting in the area — a fact that went unnoticed for over two centuries.

“For years, people thought there was only one species of Phacelia in Shakerag Hollow,” said Dr. Evans. “But thanks to detailed ecological and genetic research over the last four years, we’ve confirmed that the purple-flowered variety is actually a separate species.”

The newly named Phacelia sewaneensis can be distinguished by its deep purple blossoms, five-parted leaves at its base, and the presence of pungent leaf glands. Its more widespread cousin, Phacelia bipinnatifida, has blue flowers, three-parted leaves with distinctive spots, and lacks any scent. While P. bipinnatifida can be found throughout much of the eastern and central U.S., P. sewaneensis appears to be unique to the Cumberland Plateau.

This discovery has historical roots as well. The blue species was first named by famed French botanist André Michaux during a botanical expedition in 1795. Although Michaux documented P. bipinnatifida, his records and specimens lacked the detail necessary to distinguish the newly discovered purple variety. Now, official specimens of both species collected in Shakerag Hollow will be preserved in the Sewanee Herbarium as reference points for future botanists.

Naming the new species after Sewanee felt natural to the research team for several reasons. Not only was the flower discovered on the Domain, but its preferred habitat — fallen boulders made of Sewanee conglomerate — reinforces its local connection. The name also pays tribute to the area’s Native American heritage.

According to historians, the word “Sewanee” may have Native American origins, possibly from a phrase used by the Shawnee people who once lived in the region. The team reached out to the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, where language coordinator Scott Miller consulted with tribal elders. One possible origin, they shared, is the phrase Ne ta se wi ne (pronounced “nee tay see wah nee”), which could mean “I’m lost.”

Thanks to this discovery, the Sewanee Purple Phacelia is no longer lost — it was simply hiding in plain sight, waiting to be recognized atop the boulders along the trails of Shakerag Hollow.

Dr. Evans will be leading a hike into Shakerag Hollow on Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22. People interested in attending the hike should meet at the Green’s View parking lot at 4:30 p.m. to see the new Phacelia species. Dr. Evans will be presenting a campus lecture at 7:30 p.m., April 22, in Gailor Lecture Hall, describing the story of how he and his colleagues made this botanical discovery on the Domain.