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Carolina elephantsfoot, leafy elephantfoot

naked elephantfoot, smooth elephantsfoot

Habit Plants (1–)3–8(–12+) dm. Plants (1–)3–11+ dm.
Leaves

mostly cauline at flowering;

blades broadly elliptic or ovate to lanceolate, 6–12(–18+) cm × 30–80(–120+) mm (including petioles), both faces sparsely pilose to hirsute.

mostly basal at flowering;

blades mostly oblanceolate to spatulate, sometimes elliptic, 7–15(–20+) cm × 20–35(–45+) mm (including petioles), both faces strigose or pilose to hirsute.

Bracts

rounded-deltate to lance-deltate, (5–)10–15(–25+) × (4–)6–12+ mm.

rounded-deltate to lance-deltate, 6–15+ × 4–9+ mm.

Inner phyllaries

8–10 mm, sparsely hispidulous to pilosulous, hairs 0.1–0.3 mm.

6–7.5 mm, sparsely strigose or hispidulous with hairs 0.05–0.3(–0.5) mm.

Cypselae

2.5–4 mm;

pappi 4–5 mm.

2.5–3 mm;

pappi 3–4.5 mm.

2n

= 22.

= 22.

Elephantopus carolinianus

Elephantopus nudatus

Phenology Flowering Aug–Sep(–Oct). Flowering Aug–Oct.
Habitat Open or shaded, damp to wet places in pine forests and mixed forests, often on sandy soils Open or shaded, dry to wet places in pine forests and mixed forests, often on sandy soils
Elevation 10–700 m (0–2300 ft) 0–100 m (0–300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; DC; DE; FL; GA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NJ; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; DE; FL; GA; LA; MD; MS; NC; SC; TX; VA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 19, p. 203. FNA vol. 19, p. 203.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Vernonieae > Elephantopus Asteraceae > tribe Vernonieae > Elephantopus
Sibling taxa
E. elatus, E. nudatus, E. tomentosus
E. carolinianus, E. elatus, E. tomentosus
Name authority Raeuschel: Nomencl. Bot. ed. 3, 256. (1797) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 15: 47. (1880)
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