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coastal plain joe-pye weed, joepye thoroughwort

eupatoire maculée, joe-pye-weed, spotted joe-pye weed

Habit Plants 40–120(–170) cm. Plants 60–200 cm.
Stems

usually purple-spotted, sometimes uniformly purple, solid, glabrous proximally, glandular-puberulent distally.

usually purple-spotted, sometimes uniformly purple, usually solid, sometimes hollow near bases, glabrous proximally to densely puberulent throughout, glandular-puberulent distally.

Leaves

mostly in 3s–4s;

petioles 7–25 mm, glabrous;

blades usually ± 3-nerved, rarely pinnately veined, deltate-ovate or ovate to lance-ovate, 5–16 × 2–8 cm, relatively thick and firm (often rugose), bases usually abruptly contracted to petioles, margins coarsely serrate, abaxial faces densely gland-dotted and sparingly hirsute (at least on midribs and main veins), adaxial faces scabrous, glabrescent.

in (3s–)4s–5s(–6s);

petioles 5–20 mm, glabrous or pubescent;

blades pinnately veined, lance-elliptic to lanceolate or lance-ovate, mostly (6–)8–23(–30) × (1.5–)2–7(–9) cm, bases gradually or abruptly tapered, margins sharply serrate or doubly serrate, abaxial faces gland-dotted and densely pubescent to glabrate, adaxial faces sparingly hairy or glabrous.

Involucres

often purplish, 6.5–9 × 2.5–5 mm.

often purplish, 6.5–9 × 3.5–7 mm.

Florets

(4–)5–9(–10);

corollas usually dark purple, rarely pinkish or white, 4.5–7 mm.

(8–)9–20(–22);

corollas purplish, 4.5–7.5 mm.

Phyllaries

glabrous or sparsely hairy.

glabrous or densely pubescent.

Heads

usually in ± convex, sometimes flat-topped, corymbiform arrays.

in flat-topped, corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

3–4.5 mm.

3–5 mm.

2n

= 20.

= 20.

Eutrochium dubium

Eutrochium maculatum

Phenology Flowering late summer–early fall.
Habitat Moist habitats, in sandy or gravelly, acid soils, open sun or partial shade
Elevation 0–50+ m (0–200+ ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CT; DE; MA; MD; ME; NC; NH; NJ; NY; PA; RI; SC; VA; VT; NS
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; CT; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; MA; ME; MI; MN; MO; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NY; OH; PA; SD; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eutrochium dubium is restricted to the coastal plain, and inland along major river systems, of eastern North America. Identification of E. dubium has been difficult for field botanists, as evidenced by misidentified herbarium specimens. The most prominent character distinguishing E. dubium from its relatives (especially E. maculatum) is the 3-nerved leaf venation: the proximalmost pair of lateral veins are more prominent and more prolonged than the others. This character is best observed on abaxial leaf faces.

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Eutrochium maculatum has the widest geographic distribution and greatest morphologic variability among species in the genus. The three varieties recognized here show intergradation where the ranges overlap.

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

Key
1. Stems densely puberulent throughout; leaves densely pubescent on abaxial faces, relatively thick; mostly w of Mississippi River
var. bruneri
1. Stems glabrous proximally, puberulent among heads; leaves usually glabrate (seldom strongly puberulent) on abaxial faces, relatively thin; mostly e of Mississippi River
→ 2
2. Distalmost whorls of leaves subtending heads equaling or surpassing arrays of heads; maritime Canada, adjacent New England to ne Minnesota, n Michigan, and s Ontario
var. foliosum
2. Distalmost whorls of leaves subtending heads not equaling arrays of heads; Newfoundland to sw Ontario, s to n and w New England, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa
var. maculatum
Source FNA vol. 21, p. 475. FNA vol. 21, p. 475.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Eupatorieae > Eutrochium Asteraceae > tribe Eupatorieae > Eutrochium
Sibling taxa
E. fistulosum, E. maculatum, E. purpureum, E. steelei
E. dubium, E. fistulosum, E. purpureum, E. steelei
Subordinate taxa
E. maculatum var. bruneri, E. maculatum var. foliosum, E. maculatum var. maculatum
Synonyms Eupatorium dubium, Eupatoriadelphus dubius, Eupatorium americanum, Eupatorium ternifolium Eupatorium maculatum, Eupatoriadelphus maculatus, Eupatorium purpureum subsp. maculatum, Eupatorium purpureum var. maculatum, Eupatorium trifoliatum var. maculatum
Name authority (Willdenow ex Poiret) E. E. Lamont: Sida 21: 901. (2004) (Linnaeus) E. E. Lamont: Sida 21: 902. (2004)
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