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stemless ironweed

Tennessee ironweed

Habit Plants 4–6(–10) dm. Plants 10–20+ dm.
Stems

± puberulent, glabrescent.

glabrous.

Leaves

mostly basal;

blades oblong-elliptic to spatulate (basal, the distal narrower), 11–25(–30) cm × (21–)60–75+ mm, l/w = 2–4(–5+), abaxially usually glabrous or glabrate, sometimes hirsutulous on veins, usually resin-gland-dotted, adaxially ± scabrellous or glabrate.

mostly cauline;

blades ± lanceolate, 10–25(–30+) cm × 15–35(–60+) mm, l/w = 5–7+, abaxially puberulous, not resin-gland-dotted, adaxially scabrellous, glabrescent, not resin-gland-dotted.

Peduncles

5–50 mm.

1–8(–15) mm.

Involucres

campanulate to hemispheric, 5–10 × 6–7 mm.

broadly campanulate to hemispheric, 4–5+ × 4–5 mm.

Florets

30–40(–55+).

15–25+.

Phyllaries

40–60 in 5–6 series, glabrate, margins ciliolate, the outer lance-linear, 2–4 mm, inner lance-ovate to lance-subulate, 5–9 mm, tips subulate to filiform.

30–45+ in 5–6 series, glabrescent, margins ciliolate, the outer lance-ovate, 1–3 mm, inner lance-oblong to oblong, 3.5–5 mm, tips rounded.

Heads

in loose, corymbiform arrays.

in paniculiform-scorpioid arrays.

Cypselae

2.5–3+ mm;

pappi whitish to stramineous, outer scales ca. 20, 0.6–1 mm, contrasting with 25–40, 5–7+ mm inner bristles.

3–3.5 mm;

pappi stramineous to whitish, outer scales 25–35, 0.8–1.1 mm, contrasting with 35–45+, 5–6+ mm inner bristles.

2n

= 34.

= 34.

Vernonia acaulis

Vernonia flaccidifolia

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug. Flowering Aug.
Habitat Open woods, pine savannas, bogs, disturbed places Disturbed places in woodlands
Elevation 10–300 m (0–1000 ft) 90–400 m (300–1300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; GA; NC; SC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; GA; TN
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 19, p. 208. FNA vol. 19, p. 212.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Vernonieae > Vernonia Asteraceae > tribe Vernonieae > Vernonia
Sibling taxa
V. angustifolia, V. arkansana, V. baldwinii, V. blodgettii, V. fasciculata, V. flaccidifolia, V. gigantea, V. glauca, V. larseniae, V. lettermannii, V. lindheimeri, V. marginata, V. missurica, V. noveboracensis, V. pulchella, V. texana
V. acaulis, V. angustifolia, V. arkansana, V. baldwinii, V. blodgettii, V. fasciculata, V. gigantea, V. glauca, V. larseniae, V. lettermannii, V. lindheimeri, V. marginata, V. missurica, V. noveboracensis, V. pulchella, V. texana
Synonyms Chrysocoma acaulis
Name authority (Walter) Gleason: Bull. New York Bot. Gard. 4: 222. (1906) Small: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 25: 144. (1898)
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