Liatris laevigata
Liatris elegantula
clusterleaf gayfeather, shortleaf blazing star
Greene's elegant gayfeather, shaggy blazing star
glabrous.
glabrous.
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, linear-oblanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate, 80–210 × 2–5(–10) mm, gradually or abruptly reduced distally, essentially glabrous (sparsely piloso-ciliate along proximal margins), gland-dotted.
(ascending) 1–7 mm.
0 or (ascending) 2(–7) mm.
turbinate-campanulate, 5–7 × 4–5 mm.
turbinate, 6–8 × 5–7 mm.
3–5;
corolla tubes glabrous inside.
(7–)8–11(–13);
corolla tubes pilose inside.
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(–5) series, mostly oblong, unequal, essentially glabrous, margins with hyaline borders (0.2–0.4 mm wide), sometimes sparsely ciliolate, apices rounded.
in compact, racemiform arrays.
in loose, racemiform arrays (internodes 2–14 mm).
2.5–4 mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate.
2.8–3.5(–3.8) mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate.
globose.
mostly globose.
= 20.
Liatris laevigata
Liatris elegantula
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.)
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