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round-leaf boneset, round-leaf thoroughwort, roundleaf eupatorium

dogfennel

Habit Perennials, 40–100+ cm. Perennials, 50–200 cm.
Stems

(from short rhizomes) single, sparsely branched distally, puberulent.

(from short caudices) multiple, branched distally, puberulent throughout.

Leaves

usually opposite (distal sometimes alternate, lateral buds dormant or producing 1 pair of leaves);

sessile or subsessile;

blades ± 3-nerved, usually ± deltate to orbiculate, sometimes ovate, 15–50(–70) × 15–40(–60) mm (lengths mostly 1–2 times widths), bases broadly rounded to truncate, margins crenate to serrate, apices acute, faces puberulent to villous, gland-dotted.

opposite (proximal) or alternate (nodes often appearing leafy because of development of leaves on lateral buds without axis elongation);

sessile;

blades (often ternately lobed) or lobes linear, 5–100 × 0.2–0.5(–1) mm, bases ± cuneate, margins entire (strongly revolute), apices rounded to acute, faces glabrate, gland-dotted.

Florets

5;

corollas 3–4 mm.

5;

corollas 2–2.5 mm.

Phyllaries

8–10 in 2–3 series, elliptic to oblanceolate, 2–6 × 0.5–1.5 mm, apices acute, abaxial faces puberulent, gland-dotted.

8–10 in 2–3 series, oblong, 0.5–2.5 × 0.2–0.5 mm, apices acuminate and mucronate, abaxial faces glabrous or glabrate, not or little, if at all, gland-dotted.

Heads

in corymbiform arrays.

in dense, paniculiform arrays.

Cypselae

2–3 mm;

pappi of 30–40 bristles 3.5–4 mm.

1–1.7 mm;

pappi of 20–30 bristles 2–2.5 mm.

2n

= 20.

Eupatorium rotundifolium

Eupatorium capillifolium

Phenology Flowering Aug–Oct.
Habitat Old fields, open sites, roadsides, flatwoods
Elevation 10–300 m (0–1000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; PA; RI; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; CT; DE; FL; GA; KY; LA; MA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NJ; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Eupatorium rotundifolium is one of the more variable species of the genus; its apparent propensity to hybridize with other species has led it to be described as a compilospecies and has complicated its delimitation. Hybrids with E. perfoliatum and E. sessilifolium are sufficiently distinctive to be treated here as distinctive entities (E. ×cordigerum and E. godfreyanum, respectively), and the varieties ovatum and scabridum have also been proposed to be of hybrid origin. The boundaries between varieties are indistinct and individual specimens may be difficult to place with confidence.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Leaf blades 3-nerved from bases, bases subtruncate to broadly cuneate, margins crenate
var. rotundifolium
1. Leaf blades 3-nerved distal to bases, bases broadly cuneate to cuneate, margins serrate
→ 2
2. Leaf blades 30–70 × 30–60 mm, broadest nearmiddles
var. ovatum
2. Leaf blades 20–50 × 15–30 mm, broadest nearbases
var. scabridum
Source FNA vol. 21, p. 472. FNA vol. 21, p. 466.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Eupatorieae > Eupatorium Asteraceae > tribe Eupatorieae > Eupatorium
Sibling taxa
E. album, E. altissimum, E. anomalum, E. cannabinum, E. capillifolium, E. compositifolium, E. godfreyanum, E. hyssopifolium, E. lancifolium, E. leptophyllum, E. leucolepis, E. linearifolium, E. mikanioides, E. mohrii, E. perfoliatum, E. petaloideum, E. pilosum, E. resinosum, E. semiserratum, E. serotinum, E. sessilifolium, E. ×cordigerum, E. ×pinnatifidum
E. album, E. altissimum, E. anomalum, E. cannabinum, E. compositifolium, E. godfreyanum, E. hyssopifolium, E. lancifolium, E. leptophyllum, E. leucolepis, E. linearifolium, E. mikanioides, E. mohrii, E. perfoliatum, E. petaloideum, E. pilosum, E. resinosum, E. rotundifolium, E. semiserratum, E. serotinum, E. sessilifolium, E. ×cordigerum, E. ×pinnatifidum
Subordinate taxa
E. rotundifolium var. ovatum, E. rotundifolium var. rotundifolium, E. rotundifolium var. scabridum
Synonyms Artemisia capillifolia
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 837. (1753) (Lamarck) Small: Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 5: 311. (1894)
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