Liatris laevigata |
Liatris chapmanii |
|
---|---|---|
clusterleaf gayfeather, shortleaf blazing star |
Chapman's blazing star, Chapman's gayfeather |
|
Habit | Plants 40–180 cm. | Plants 35–75(–150) cm. |
Stems | glabrous. |
hirtellous. |
Leaves | basal and proximal cauline (mostly arising from congested nodes) 1-nerved, lance-linear to linear, 100–380 × (1–)2–6(–9) mm, abruptly reduced distally, glabrous (minutely white-dotted by stomates), weakly, if at all, gland-dotted (glandular hairs usually not evident). |
basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, spatulate-oblanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate, 40–150(–180) × 4–8(–11) mm, abruptly reduced (linear, 1–2 mm wide), then gradually reduced distally, essentially glabrous or hirtellous (sometimes mostly along abaxial midveins), gland-dotted. |
Peduncles | (ascending) 1–7 mm. |
0. |
Involucres | turbinate-campanulate, 5–7 × 4–5 mm. |
cylindric, 8–12 × 3.5–5 mm. |
Florets | 3–5; corolla tubes glabrous inside. |
3–4; corolla tubes glabrous inside. |
Phyllaries | in 2–3(–4) series, lanceolate to oblong or elliptic-oblong, unequal, essentially glabrous, margins with hyaline borders, apices usually rounded-retuse and minutely involute-cuspidate to apiculate. |
in 3(–4) series, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, unequal, usually glabrous, rarely minutely puberulent, margins with hyaline borders, apices acute to acuminate. |
Heads | in compact, racemiform arrays. |
(appressed, overlapping) in dense, spiciform arrays. |
Cypselae | 2.5–4 mm; pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate. |
(3–)4–6 mm; pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate. |
Corms | globose. |
globose to elongate. |
2n | = 20. |
|
Liatris laevigata |
Liatris chapmanii |
|
Phenology | Flowering Aug–Oct(–Nov). | Flowering Aug–Oct. |
Habitat | Sand ridges and flats, roadsides, pine woods, sand pine-scrub, longleaf pine-scrub oak | Dunes, beach strands, sand ridges, fields, roadsides, longleaf pine savannas, longleaf pine-turkey oak, turkey oak, evergreen oak-sand pine-scrub, scrub with Ceratiola and Pinus clausa |
Elevation | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) | 0–50 m (0–200 ft) |
Distribution |
FL; GA
|
AL; FL; GA
|
Discussion | R. P. Wunderlin (1998) treated Liatris laevigata and L. tenuifolia as varieties in one species; A. Cronquist (1980, p. 207) also treated them within one species, as “two well-marked but wholly confluent geographic vars.” They have been noted to grow intermixed in Osceola County, Florida (L. laevigata, Ray et al. 10472, NCU; L. tenuifolia, Ray et al. 10423, NCU). Unequivocal intermediates have not been seen in the present study. With the observation of consistent morphologic differences in habit, vestiture, and leaf punctation, and their broad sympatry in Florida, it seems appropriate to recognize them at specific rank. Liatris laevigata is restricted to peninsular Florida and immediately adjacent Georgia (e.g., Floyd’s Island, Charlton County, Cypert 240, SMU). Leaf width is markedly variable, and collections of narrow-leaved forms sometimes have been identified as L. tenuifolia. Narrow-leaved forms of L. laevigata apparently are more common in southern Florida (Collier, Dade, Glades, Lee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and Polk counties). Broader-leaved plants apparently tend to have larger corms, which may be related to age or habitat. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 21, p. 526. | FNA vol. 21, p. 526. |
Parent taxa | Asteraceae > tribe Eupatorieae > Liatris | Asteraceae > tribe Eupatorieae > Liatris |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Lacinaria laevigata, L. tenuifolia var. laevigata, L. tenuifolia var. quadriflora | Lacinaria chapmanii |
Name authority | Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 285. (1840) | Torrey & A. Gray: Fl. N. Amer. 2: 502. (1843) |
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