Liatris aestivalis
Liatris bracteata
blazing star, summer gayfeather
bract blazing star, South Texas gayfeather
glabrous.
glabrous.
basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, linear to linear-lanceolate, 70–150 × 1–2.5 mm, abruptly or gradually reduced on distal 1/2 of stems, essentially glabrous (margins sometimes sparsely ciliate).
basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, linear, 40–100 × 1–2 mm, even-sized or gradually reduced distally, essentially glabrous, gland-dotted (proximal margins sparsely ciliate).
0.
0.
cylindro-turbinate, 9–12 × 3.5–5 mm.
turbinate-cylindric, (11–)12–15 × 5–7 mm.
3–4(–5);
corolla tubes glabrate inside.
8–14(–16);
corolla tubes glabrous inside.
in 2–3 series, (often dark purple in anthesis) oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate-triangular, weakly unequal, essentially glabrous, margins without hyaline borders, sometimes sparsely ciliate, apices acute to acute-attenuate (sometimes with narrow tips).
in 5–6(–7) series, broadly oblong to lanceolate-oblong, strongly unequal, glabrous, margins without hyaline borders, finely ciliolate, apices obtuse, rounded, or truncate, sharply involute-apiculate.
(closely spaced, stems obscured) in dense, (cylindric) spiciform arrays.
(widely spaced, stems evident) in loose, spiciform arrays.
4.5–6 mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles plumose.
6–9 mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles plumose.
globose or subglobose.
globose.
= 60.
Liatris aestivalis
Liatris bracteata
Of conservation concern.
Liatris bracteata might justifiably be treated at varietal rank within L. punctata; the morphologic difference appears to be primarily in head size (especially floret number). Chromosome counts (L. O. Gaiser 1950c) indicate that L. bracteata is hexaploid, compared to diploids and tetraploids in populations of L. punctata.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
