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stemless ironweed

narrowleaf ironweed, slimleaf ironweed

Habit Plants 4–6(–10) dm. Plants (2–)5–6+ dm.
Stems

± puberulent, glabrescent.

glabrous or glabrate.

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 filiform, 5–9+ cm × 1–3+ mm, l/w = 25–50+, abaxially glabrate (pitted, awl-shaped hairs in pits), adaxially puberulent, glabrescent (sometimes pitted).

Peduncles

5–50 mm.

6–20+ mm.

Involucres

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

narrowly campanulate, 7–9(–10+) × 4–5+ mm.

Florets

30–40(–55+).

10–12+.

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.

30–40+ in 5–6+ series, sparsely tomentose, glabrescent, margins arachno-ciliolate, the outer lanceolate to subulate, 1–3 mm, inner oblong to lanceolate, 5–7+ mm, tips acute.

Heads

in loose, corymbiform arrays.

in corymbiform 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.

3–4 mm;

pappi fuscous to purplish, outer scales 25+, 0.1–0.5 mm, contrasting with 35+, 6–7+ mm inner bristles.

2n

= 34.

= 34.

Vernonia acaulis

Vernonia lettermannii

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug. Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat Open woods, pine savannas, bogs, disturbed places Flood plains, terraces
Elevation 10–300 m (0–1000 ft) 100–200 m (300–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; GA; NC; SC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; OK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 19, p. 208. FNA vol. 19, p. 211.
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. flaccidifolia, V. gigantea, V. glauca, V. larseniae, 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) Engelmann ex A. Gray: Notes Compositae, 78. (1880)
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