Eupatorium leucolepis
Eupatorium album
justiceweed, white-bract thoroughwort
white thoroughwort
(from short caudices or stout rhizomes) single, sparsely branched distally, puberulent throughout (more densely distally and among heads).
(from short caudices or stout rhizomes) single, sparsely branched distally, pubescent throughout.
usually opposite (distal sometimes alternate, ascending to vertical);
sessile;
blades pinnately nerved, lance-oblong to linear-oblong, 20–60 × 4–10(–15) mm, bases rounded to cuneate (not connate-perfoliate), margins entire or serrate, apices acute, faces villous (abaxial), scabrous (adaxial), gland-dotted.
usually opposite (distal sometimes alternate);
sessile;
blades ± 3-nerved or pinnately nerved, elliptic to oblanceolate, 30–120 × 10–40 mm (lengths mostly 3–4 times widths), bases narrowly cuneate (sometimes oblique), margins subentire, serrate, or serrulate, apices rounded to acute, faces setulose (denser on midribs and veinlets) to glabrate, usually gland-dotted.
5;
corollas 3–3.5 mm.
(4–)5;
corollas 4–4.5 mm.
8–10 in 2–3 series, narrowly elliptic, 2.5–8 × 0.8–1.2 mm, acuminate to attenuate, mucronate, abaxial faces puberulent, gland-dotted.
9–15 in 2–4 series, linear, 1.5–9 × 0.6–1 mm, apices acuminate to attenuate, sometimes mucronate, abaxial faces pubescent throughout, gland-dotted.
in corymbiform arrays.
in corymbiform arrays.
2–3 mm;
pappi of 30–40 bristles 4.5–5 mm.
2.5–3.5 mm;
pappi of 40–50 bristles 3.5–4.5 mm.
Eupatorium leucolepis
Eupatorium album
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
Eupatorium leucolepis is distinct morphologically by its acuminate to attenuate phyllaries, linear and usually plicate leaves, and phyllotaxy that is almost always strictly opposite to the arrays, with well-separated nodes. Eupatorium leucolepis has recently been shown to include two distinct species, an unnamed diploid that is endemic to Carolina Bay habitats and a series of relatively widespread and mostly polyploid, apomictic populations that include the type. It was recognized after preparation of this treatment that E. novae-angliae (E. leucolepis var. novae-angliae) was derived from hybridization between the unnamed diploid and E. perfoliatum, and is here recognized as a distinct species; it is not directly related genetically to E. leucolepis and thus is not appropriately classified as a variety of it.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).
Eupatorium album is represented by widespread diploid populations and by polyploid, apomictic populations, segregated as varieties, that may have arisen by hybridization with other species. Molecular data suggest that var. vaseyi arose via hybridization between var. album and E. sessilifolium. They also suggest that E. album var. subvenosum arose from hybridization between E. album var. album and E. serotinum.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaf blades strongly folded along midribs, curved, 4–10 mm wide | var. leucolepis |
1. Leaf blades weakly folded along midribs, not curved, 10–15 mm wide | var. novaeangliae |
1. Leaf blades: margins coarsely serrate, apices obtuse to rounded, faces pubescent | var. album |
1. Leaf blades: margins subentire, serrulate, or serrate, apices acute, faces pubescent to glabrate | → 2 |
2. Leaf blades 3-nerved from bases, 40–70 × 10–20 mm, margins subentire to serrulate | var. subvenosum |
2. Leaf blades 3-nerved distal to bases, 50–110 × 20–40 mm, margins evenly serrate | var. vaseyi |
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