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tall ironweed

Florida ironweed

Habit Plants 5–10+ dm. Plants 2–3(–5+) dm.
Stems

sparsely appressed-puberulent, glabrescent.

glabrous or glabrate.

Leaves

mostly cauline;

blades (mid stem) lance-linear to filiform, 5–12 cm × 2–4(–8+) mm, l/w = (8–)12–30(–60+), abaxially glabrous but for scattered hairs on midribs or scabrellous (hairs awl-shaped), resin-gland-dotted or not, adaxially scabrellous.

mostly cauline;

blades lance-linear to linear, 3–7+ cm × 2–8+ mm, l/w = 7–15+, abaxially scabrellous (hairs appressed, awl-shaped), resin-gland-dotted, adaxially scabrellous, glabrescent, resin-gland-dotted.

Peduncles

8–25 mm.

12–35 mm.

Involucres

± campanulate to obconic, 5–7(–10) × 4–6(–9) mm.

campanulate to obconic, 6–8 × 6–10 mm.

Florets

12–20(–30).

18–25+.

Phyllaries

22–45+ in 5–6 series, sparsely scabrellous, glabrescent, margins ciliolate, the outer lanceolate to subulate, 1.5–3 mm, inner lance-ovate to lanceolate, 5–9+ mm, tips acuminate to subulate.

30–40+ in 4–5 series, puberulent, margins arachno-ciliate, the outer lance-ovate, 2–3 mm, inner lance-oblong to linear-oblong, 6–7 mm, tips acute or rounded-apiculate.

Heads

in ± corymbiform to paniculiform arrays.

in open, corymbiform to paniculiform arrays.

Cypselae

2.5–3 mm;

pappi stramineous to purplish, outer scales 25–30, 0.5–1.2+ mm, contrasting with 35–40+, 5.5–6+ mm inner bristles.

2.5–3+ mm;

pappi stramineous to whitish, outer scales 25–30, 0.5–1.1 mm, contrasting with 30–40+, 5–7+ mm inner bristles.

2n

= 34.

= 34.

Vernonia angustifolia

Vernonia blodgettii

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering year-round.
Habitat Pine barrens, oak woodlands Damp, peaty or sandy soils
Elevation 10–50 m (0–200 ft) 0–10 m (0–0 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; West Indies (Bahamas)
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 19, p. 209. FNA vol. 19, p. 212.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Vernonieae > Vernonia Asteraceae > tribe Vernonieae > Vernonia
Sibling taxa
V. acaulis, 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. fasciculata, V. flaccidifolia, V. gigantea, V. glauca, V. larseniae, V. lettermannii, V. lindheimeri, V. marginata, V. missurica, V. noveboracensis, V. pulchella, V. texana
Synonyms V. angustifolia subsp. mohrii, V. angustifolia subsp. scaberrima, V. angustifolia var. scaberrima, V. scaberrima
Name authority Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 94. (1803) Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 1160, 1338. (1903)
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