Liatris tenuifolia
Liatris lancifolia
pine-needle gayfeather, shortleaf blazing star, shortleaf gayfeather
Great Plains gayfeather, lanceleaf blazing star
glabrous or sparsely pilose.
glabrous.
basal and proximal cauline (arising from separated nodes) 1-nerved, linear to linear-lanceolate, 100–300 × 1–2(–2.5) mm, gradually or abruptly reduced distally, essentially glabrous, gland-dotted (proximal margins sometimes 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).
(ascending) 1–7 mm.
0.
turbinate-campanulate, 5–7 × 4–5 mm.
turbinate-cylindric to turbinate-campanulate, 7–9 × 4–7 mm.
4–6;
corolla tubes glabrous inside.
5–8(–12);
corolla tubes glabrous inside.
in 2–3(–4) series, lanceolate to oblong or elliptic-oblong, unequal, essentially glabrous, margins with (pinkish purple) hyaline borders, apices usually rounded-retuse and minutely involute-cuspidate to apiculate.
in 3–4 series, ovate to oblong, unequal, glabrous, margins with hyaline borders, sometimes ciliolate, apices rounded to obtuse.
in compact, racemiform arrays.
in dense, spiciform arrays.
2.5–4 mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate.
4–4.5 mm;
pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate.
globose.
globose.
= 20.
Liatris tenuifolia
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.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
KS Wildflowers
