Liatris pycnostachya
Liatris gholsonii
cat-tail gayfeather, prairie blazing star, prairie gayfeather, thick-spike blazing star
bluffs gayfeather, Gholson's blazing star, Gholson's gayfeather
glabrous or densely piloso-puberulent.
finely puberulent.
basal and proximal cauline 3–5-nerved, linear to narrowly oblanceolate or oblanceolate, 110–220 × 4–10(–12) mm, gradually then abruptly reduced distally (bractlike proximal to heads), essentially glabrous or sparsely pilose to densely piloso-puberulent, weakly gland-dotted (bases of basal usually fibrous-persistent).
basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, spatulate (petioles slender, blades elliptic to lanceolate-elliptic), (100–)150–250 × (8–)11–22(–27) mm, gradually reduced distally, essentially glabrous, gland-dotted.
usually 0, rarely (spreading to ascending) 1–2 mm.
(spreading-ascending) (2–)5–12(–26) mm (with bracts 2+ mm wide, grading from distal leaves).
campanulate-cylindric, 7–9(–10) × 3.5–5 mm.
cylindro-turbinate, 4–5 × 2.5–3 mm.
(4–)5–8;
corolla tubes glabrous inside.
3–5(–6);
corolla tubes pilose inside.
(reflexed or curving-spreading) in 4–5 series, oblong-lanceolate, unequal, essentially glabrous or ± pilose, margins with hyaline borders, sometimes ciliate, apices usually acute to acute-acuminate (sometimes distally dilated, nearly petaloid).
in 3(–4) series, ovate to oblong, strongly to weakly unequal, essentially glabrous, margins with hyaline borders, ciliolate, apices (at least outer) acuminate to acute.
in dense, spiciform arrays.
in loose, racemiform arrays.
3.8–4.5(–5) mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate.
3.5–5 mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate.
globose, sometimes becoming elongate rhizomes.
globose.
= 20.
Liatris pycnostachya
Liatris gholsonii
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Liatris gholsonii is closely similar to L. gracilis; it apparently is restricted to an area along the Apalachicola River in Liberty and Leon counties.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Corms globose; stems usually glabrous or sparsely pilose except near heads (where sparsely piloso-puberulent); leaves glabrous | var. pycnostachya |
1. Corms globose to elongate; stems moderately to densely piloso-puberulent; leaves moderately to densely piloso-puberulent to nearly glabrous | var. lasiophylla |
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