Liatris punctata var. mucronata
Liatris punctata
cusp blazing star
dotted blazing star, dotted gayfeather, narrow-leaf blazingstar, plains gayfeather
glabrous.
70–150 × 1–3 mm.
basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, linear, 50–140 × 1–7 mm, gradually or little reduced distally, essentially glabrous or sparsely piloso-hirsutulous, gland-dotted (margins sometimes ciliate).
0 or very rarely 1–2 mm.
7–9(–12) mm.
campanulate-cylindric, 7–15 × (4–)5–7 mm.
(3–)4–5(–6).
3–8;
corolla tubes glabrous inside.
in (4–)5–6 series.
in 3–6 series, mostly oblong-obovate, unequal, essentially glabrous, margins without hyaline borders, sometimes ciliate, apices acute, acute-acuminate, obtuse, rounded, or rounded-truncate (often with indurate apicula or mucros, lateral veins usually not evident beyond middle or at least on distal 1/3).
in dense, spiciform arrays (closely spaced, stems usually obscured by heads).
in dense to loose, spiciform arrays.
(5.5–)6–8.5 mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles plumose.
globose to depressed-globose.
globose to depressed-globose or elongate, sometimes becoming simple or branched rhizomes.
Liatris punctata var. mucronata
Liatris punctata
Varieties mucronata and punctata intergrade where their ranges meet in central Texas (G. L. Nesom and R. J. O’Kennon 2001). Plants currently identified as Liatris punctata or L. mucronata in northern Arkansas, southern Missouri, and adjacent Kansas appear to represent an undescribed race, perhaps most closely related to L. aestivalis.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Corms globose to depressed-globose; involucres 7–9(–12) mm; phyllaries in (4–)5–6 series; florets (3–)4–5(–6) | var. mucronata |
1. Corms elongate or becoming rhizomes; involucres 10–14 mm; phyllaries in 4(–5) series; florets 4–8 | → 2 |
2. Heads in dense, spiciform arrays (closely spaced, stems usually obscured by heads) | var. punctata |
2. Heads in loose, spiciform arrays (widely spaced, stems evident) | var. mexicana |
KS Wildflowers
MO Plants
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
BC
IL Wildflowers
LA Plants
MI Flora
MN Wildflowers
PNW Herbaria
