Liatris pilosa
Liatris lancifolia
grass-leaf gayfeather, shaggy blazing star
Great Plains gayfeather, lanceleaf 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 lower cauline 3–5-nerved, narrowly oblong-lanceolate to narrowly spatulate-oblanceolate, 60–180(–330) × 6–12(–15) mm (usually becoming more densely arranged distally), abruptly reduced near midstem (continuing densely to immediately proximal to heads), essentially glabrous, gland-dotted (bases of basal often fibrous-persistent).
0 or (ascending) 1–10(–80) mm.
0.
turbinate to campanulate-cylindric, (7–)8–10 × 5–6 mm.
turbinate-cylindric to turbinate-campanulate, 7–9 × 4–7 mm.
(6–)7–12(–13, mostly 9–12 in Del.
5–8(–12);
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 3–4 series, ovate to oblong, unequal, glabrous, margins with hyaline borders, sometimes ciliolate, apices rounded to obtuse.
in loose to dense, racemiform to spiciform arrays (internodes 1–7 mm).
in dense, spiciform arrays.
(2.5–)3–4 mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate.
4–4.5 mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate.
globose.
globose.
N.J.);
corolla tubes pilose inside.
= 20.
= 20.
Liatris pilosa
Liatris lancifolia
The abrupt size reduction of cauline leaves in Liatris lancifolia is similar to that of L. spicata var. resinosa; the long, dense spikes and wider basal leaves are more like those of L. spicata var. spicata. Little differentiation exists between L. lancifolia and L. spicata, but L. lancifolia is maintained here at specific rank, coordinate with L. spicata, primarily because of its wide geographic disjunction and generally different habitat. Recognition that the two elements within L. spicata have a nearly analogous relationship of range and habitat might provide rationale for treating all three of these closely similar taxa at equivalent rank. Liatris lancifolia is expected in Oklahoma.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
MD Biodiversity
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
KS Wildflowers
