Liatris pilosa
Liatris laevigata
grass-leaf gayfeather, shaggy blazing star
clusterleaf gayfeather, shortleaf blazing star
glabrous or sparsely to moderately pilose distally or throughout.
glabrous.
basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, narrowly oblanceolate, 60–170(–200) × 2–7(–11) mm, abruptly to gradually reduced distally (becoming linear, spreading-ascending), essentially glabrous or sparsely pilose (abaxially), gland-dotted (proximal margins piloso-ciliate).
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).
0 or (ascending) 1–10(–80) mm.
(ascending) 1–7 mm.
turbinate to campanulate-cylindric, (7–)8–10 × 5–6 mm.
turbinate-campanulate, 5–7 × 4–5 mm.
(6–)7–12(–13, mostly 9–12 in Del.
3–5;
corolla tubes glabrous inside.
in (3–)4–5(–6) series, oblong, unequal, essentially glabrous, margins with hyaline borders (0.2–0.4 mm wide), erose to lacerate, ciliolate, apices usually rounded, rarely acute.
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 loose to dense, racemiform to spiciform arrays (internodes 1–7 mm).
in compact, racemiform arrays.
(2.5–)3–4 mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate.
2.5–4 mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate.
globose.
globose.
N.J.);
corolla tubes pilose inside.
= 20.
Liatris pilosa
Liatris laevigata
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.)
MD Biodiversity
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
