Liatris bracteata
bract blazing star, South Texas gayfeather
glabrous.
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.
turbinate-cylindric, (11–)12–15 × 5–7 mm.
8–14(–16);
corolla tubes glabrous inside.
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.
(widely spaced, stems evident) in loose, spiciform arrays.
6–9 mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles plumose.
globose.
= 60.
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.)
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