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stemless ironweed

Missouri ironweed

Habit Plants 4–6(–10) dm. Plants 6–12(–20+) dm.
Stems

± puberulent, glabrescent.

puberulent.

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 elliptic to lance-ovate or lanceolate, 6–16(–20+) cm × 18–48+ mm, l/w = 2.5–4(–6+), abaxially usually puberulent to tomentose or pannose (hairs ± erect, ± curled), seldom glabrate, resin-gland-dotted, adaxially scabrellous, glabrescent, not resin-gland-dotted.

Peduncles

5–50 mm.

3–35 mm.

Involucres

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

broadly campanulate to urceolate, (6–)7–10+ × 5–9+ mm.

Florets

30–40(–55+).

30–55+.

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.

50–70+ in 6–7 series, sparsely scabrellous, glabrescent (seldom resin-gland-dotted), margins ciliolate, the outer lanceolate, 1–2 mm, inner linear-oblong to oblong, 6–7(–9+) mm, tips acute or rounded-apiculate.

Heads

in loose, corymbiform arrays.

in corymbiform-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.

3.5–4;

pappi stramineous to whitish, outer scales 25–30, 0.5–1.1 mm, contrasting with 35–40+, 6–8+ mm inner bristles.

2n

= 34.

= 34.

Vernonia acaulis

Vernonia missurica

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug. Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Open woods, pine savannas, bogs, disturbed places Prairies, loamy to sandy soils
Elevation 10–300 m (0–1000 ft) 30–200 m (100–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; GA; NC; SC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MI; MO; MS; OK; TN; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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. flaccidifolia, V. gigantea, V. glauca, V. larseniae, V. lettermannii, V. lindheimeri, V. marginata, V. noveboracensis, V. pulchella, V. texana
Synonyms Chrysocoma acaulis
Name authority (Walter) Gleason: Bull. New York Bot. Gard. 4: 222. (1906) Rafinesque: Herb. Raf., 28. (1833)
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