Liatris elegans
Liatris helleri
elegant gayfeather, pinkscale blazing star, pinkscale gayfeather
Heller's blazing star, Heller's gayfeather
puberulent to hirsute-puberulent.
glabrous.
(basal on relatively distant internodes usually withering before flowering) proximal cauline 1-nerved, narrowly oblanceolate, 60–200(–300) × 3–8 mm, gradually or abruptly reduced distally (becoming slightly to strongly deflexed), essentially glabrous or sparsely puberulent, gland-dotted.
basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, spatulate-oblanceolate to narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate-linear, (50–)60–100(–220) × 3–8(–15) mm (usually reaching at least level of heads), quickly to gradually reduced distal to midstems, essentially glabrous or sparsely pilose (abaxially), weakly, if at all, gland-dotted.
usually 0, sometimes 1–5(–10) mm.
0.
turbinate-cylindric, 12–20 × 4–6 mm.
turbinate-campanulate, 7–10 × 6–8(–10) mm.
4–5;
corolla tubes glabrous inside.
7–13(–17);
corolla tubes sparsely pilose inside.
in 3–4 series, narrowly lanceolate-triangular, unequal, strigose to strigoso-hispid, margins with hyaline borders, apices (at least inner) prolonged, spreading, ± dilated, petaloid (pink, purplish, white, or yellow).
in 3–4(–5) series, oblong, unequal, glabrous, margins with hyaline borders (0.2–0.4 mm wide), ciliolate, apices rounded.
in dense, spiciform arrays.
in dense to loose, spiciform arrays.
3.5–5(–6) mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles plumose.
(2.5–)3.5–5 mm;
pappi: lengths 1/3–2/3 or equaling corollas, bristles barbellate.
depressed-globose or globose to napiform.
globose (sometimes knotty).
= 20.
Liatris elegans
Liatris helleri
Varieties 4 (4 in the flora).
Variety elegans extends across the geographic range of the species; the other three varieties form local enclaves essentially imbedded within var. elegans and sporadically intergrading with it at points of contact (see further comments under 10d. var. kralii).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Liatris helleri has been regarded as a narrow endemic (of conservation concern) of high-elevation habitats in North Carolina, where it was recognized especially by a markedly shortened pappus; it has been reported (as L. turgida) from Alabama and Georgia (not confirmed in this study). With recognition that pappus length varies and leaves may be sparsely villous to nearly glabrous, the concept of L. helleri has been expanded (G. L. Nesom 2005b) to include plants identified in montane West Virginia and Virginia as L. turgida and L. graminifolia (e.g., M. J. Johnson 1971). Even in Virginia, the pappus sometimes is reduced to half the length of the corolla tube (e.g., Bedford Co., Freer 12226, NCU; Amherst Co., Freer 2007, NCU; Roanoke Co., Uttal 10883, NCU), and pappus length is variable in the North Carolina region of typical L. helleri, where the bristles characteristically are short (Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Mitchell, and Watauga counties). In exposed habitats (e.g., rock ledges, shale barrens), plants often are relatively short and the heads are relatively few and distantly spaced; in less exposed sites, plants may be taller and to 40 heads may be borne in a relatively dense array.
Liatris helleri is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Phyllary apices petaloid, blue, lavender, magenta, or pink, ± elongate and recurving, petaloid portions short relative to herbaceous bases | → 2 |
1. Phyllary apices petaloid, usually yellowish to creamy white, rarely pale lavender to rose, recurving to slightly flaring or nearly straight, petaloid portions elongate or relatively short relative to bases | → 3 |
2. Corms depressed-globose | var. elegans |
2. Corms elongate, tapering | var. carizzana |
3. Heads usually crowded (peduncles 0); phyllary apices creamy white (rarely pale lavender), sometimes initially lemon yellow fading to creamy white, elongate and recurving, petaloid portions short relative to herbaceous bases | var. bridgesii |
3. Heads well spaced; phyllary apices light yellow or cream (rarely pale lavender), flaring-divergent slightly or not at all, petaloid portions elongate relative to herbaceous bases | var. kralii |
LA Plants
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
