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narrow-leaf blazing-star, smallhead blazing star, smallhead gayfeather

Georgia gayfeather, spreading blazing star, spreading gayfeather

Habit Plants 30–80 cm. Plants 35–95 cm.
Stems

glabrous.

moderately to densely strigoso-hirtellous.

Leaves

basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, linear to linear-lanceolate, 80–200 × 1–3(–4, –6) mm, gradually reduced or abruptly reduced on distal 1/2 of stems, essentially glabrous.

basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, narrowly oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, 90–180 × 2–4(–7) mm, gradually or abruptly reduced distally, essentially glabrous (proximal margins sparsely ciliate).

Peduncles

0 or (ascending) 1–12 mm.

(divergent-ascending, initially diverging at angles of 45–90°) 10–25(–30) mm.

Involucres

turbinate-cylindric, 5–7(–9) × 3–4 mm.

turbinate-campanulate, (5–)6–7.5 × 5–7 mm.

Florets

4–5(–6);

corolla tubes glabrous inside.

7–12;

corolla tubes pilose inside.

Phyllaries

in 3–4 series, oblong to oblong-obovate, strongly unequal, essentially glabrous, margins with hyaline borders, apices rounded.

in (2–)3–4(–5) series, broadly obovate (outer) to broadly oblong-obovate, strongly unequal, sparsely strigoso-villous (outer) or essentially glabrous, margins with (pinkish purple) hyaline borders, sometimes slightly erose, usually densely ciliate, apices rounded to subtruncate.

Heads

in loose to dense, spiciform arrays (internodes to 8 mm).

in loose, (columnar) racemiform arrays.

Cypselae

3–3.5 mm;

pappi: lengths ± 1/2 corollas, bristles barbellate.

2.5–2.8 mm;

pappi: lengths equaling or surpassing corollas, bristles barbellate.

Corms

globose (fibrous roots often densely covering whole structure).

globose to depressed-globose.

2n

= 20, 60.

Liatris microcephala

Liatris patens

Phenology Flowering (Jul–)Aug–Oct. Flowering Sep–Nov.
Habitat Outcrops of granite and sandstone, rocky slopes, sandy stream banks, openings in pine-oak, oak barrens Sandy pinelands, usually with longleaf pine or slash pine, pine-palmetto flats
Elevation 200–600 m (700–2000 ft) 0–50 m (0–200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; GA; KY; NC; SC; TN
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; GA; SC
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 21, p. 530. FNA vol. 21, p. 531.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Eupatorieae > Liatris Asteraceae > tribe Eupatorieae > Liatris
Sibling taxa
L. acidota, L. aestivalis, L. aspera, L. bracteata, L. chapmanii, L. cokeri, L. compacta, L. cylindracea, L. cymosa, L. elegans, L. elegantula, L. garberi, L. gholsonii, L. glandulosa, L. gracilis, L. helleri, L. hirsuta, L. laevigata, L. lancifolia, L. ligulistylis, L. ohlingerae, L. oligocephala, L. patens, L. pauciflora, L. pilosa, L. provincialis, L. punctata, L. pycnostachya, L. savannensis, L. scariosa, L. spicata, L. squarrosa, L. squarrulosa, L. tenuifolia, L. tenuis, L. virgata
L. acidota, L. aestivalis, L. aspera, L. bracteata, L. chapmanii, L. cokeri, L. compacta, L. cylindracea, L. cymosa, L. elegans, L. elegantula, L. garberi, L. gholsonii, L. glandulosa, L. gracilis, L. helleri, L. hirsuta, L. laevigata, L. lancifolia, L. ligulistylis, L. microcephala, L. ohlingerae, L. oligocephala, L. pauciflora, L. pilosa, L. provincialis, L. punctata, L. pycnostachya, L. savannensis, L. scariosa, L. spicata, L. squarrosa, L. squarrulosa, L. tenuifolia, L. tenuis, L. virgata
Synonyms Lacinaria microcephala, Lacinaria polyphylla
Name authority (Small) K. Schumann: Just’s Bot. Jahresber. 26(1): 378. (1900) G. L. Nesom & Kral: Sida 20: 1579, fig. 2. (2003)
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