Liatris laevigata |
Liatris virgata |
|
---|---|---|
clusterleaf gayfeather, shortleaf blazing star |
dense blazing star, grassleaf gayfeather, King's Mountain or Piedmont gayfeather, wand blazing star |
|
Habit | Plants 40–180 cm. | Plants 35–75 cm. |
Stems | glabrous. |
glabrous. |
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, narrowly oblanceolate, (50–)90–150 × (2–)4–9(–12) mm wide, usually abruptly, sometimes gradually, reduced distally, glabrous or sparsely pilose (abaxially), gland-dotted (proximal margins sparsely pilose-ciliate). |
Peduncles | (ascending) 1–7 mm. |
0 or (ascending) mostly 2–12 mm. |
Involucres | turbinate-campanulate, 5–7 × 4–5 mm. |
campanulate-cylindric, (6–)7–9 × 3.5–4.5(–5) mm. |
Florets | 3–5; corolla tubes glabrous inside. |
7–10(–12); corolla tubes pilose 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. |
usually in 3–5(–6) series, in 5–6(–7) series in largest heads, ovate-triangular to oblong, unequal, glabrous, margins with narrow, hyaline borders (lacking at apices), sometimes sparsely ciliolate, apices acute to obtuse-angled (with thickened, not markedly involute, apicula). |
Heads | in compact, racemiform arrays. |
in loose, racemiform to spiciform arrays (not secund, internodes 6–20 mm). |
Cypselae | 2.5–4 mm; pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate. |
(2–)3–4 mm; pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate. |
Corms | globose. |
mostly globose. |
2n | = 20. |
|
Liatris laevigata |
Liatris virgata |
|
Phenology | Flowering Aug–Oct(–Nov). | Flowering (Jul–)Aug–Oct(–Nov). |
Habitat | Sand ridges and flats, roadsides, pine woods, sand pine-scrub, longleaf pine-scrub oak | Edges of swampy woods, stream margins, slopes, clearings, edges of upland woods, rocky woods, pine-oak woods, mixed deciduous woods, roadsides, Iredell soils, clays |
Elevation | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) | 50–1000 m (200–3300 ft) |
Distribution |
FL; GA
|
GA; NC; SC; VA
|
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.) |
Liatris virgata is characterized by its non-congested arrangement of heads, often on a slightly zigzag axis, and especially by its relatively thickened phyllaries with angled apices (acute to obtuse-apiculate). The name Liatris regimontis has been misapplied to the species now identified as L. cokeri. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 21, p. 526. | FNA vol. 21, p. 528. |
Parent taxa | Asteraceae > tribe Eupatorieae > Liatris | Asteraceae > tribe Eupatorieae > Liatris |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Lacinaria laevigata, L. tenuifolia var. laevigata, L. tenuifolia var. quadriflora | Lacinaria smallii, L. graminifolia var. racemosa, L. graminifolia var. smallii, L. graminifolia var. virgata, L. regimontis, L. spicata var. racemosa |
Name authority | Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 285. (1840) | Nuttall: J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7: 72. (1834) |
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