The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Arkansas ironweed, great ironweed

Baldwin's ironweed

Habit Plants 8–12(–20) dm. Plants 6–10(–15) dm.
Stems

scabrellous to pilosulous, glabrescent.

puberulent to ± tomentose.

Leaves

mostly cauline;

blades lance-linear, 6–14(–20) cm × 7–15(–25) mm, l/w = 7–10(–18), abaxially scabrellous (hairs awl-shaped), resin-gland-dotted, adaxially scaberulous, glabrescent, resin-gland-dotted.

mostly cauline;

blades elliptic to lance-ovate or lanceolate, 8–15(–18+) cm × 20–45(–75+) mm, l/w = 2–5, abaxially usually puberulent to tomentose or pannose (hairs ± erect, ± curled), seldom glabrate, resin-gland-dotted, adaxially scabrellous, glabrescent, not resin-gland-dotted.

Peduncles

2–5 cm.

1–25 mm.

Involucres

± hemispheric, 11–15 × 11–15 mm.

broadly campanulate to hemispheric, 4–6(–8+) × 4–7+ mm.

Florets

50–100+.

(15–)20–25(–35+).

Phyllaries

(50–)60–70+ in 5–6 series, scabrellous (and resin-gland-dotted), margins ciliolate, the outer lance-ovate, 3–8+ mm, inner lanceolate, 12–15 mm, tips subulate to filiform.

45–65+ in 5–6 series, usually puberulent (often resin-gland-dotted distally), sometimes glabrescent, margins ciliolate, the outer lance-ovate, 1–2 mm, inner oblong to lanceolate, 5–8+ mm, tips rounded-apiculate to acute (sometimes recurved).

Heads

in ± corymbiform arrays.

in corymbiform-scorpioid arrays.

Cypselae

3–5 mm;

pappi fuscous to purplish, outer scales 25–30+, 0.5–1 mm, contrasting with 25–30+, 5–7 mm inner bristles.

2.5–3 mm;

pappi fuscous to purplish, outer scales 25–30, 0.2–1 mm, contrasting with 35–40+, 5–7+ mm inner bristles.

2n

= 34.

= 34.

Vernonia arkansana

Vernonia baldwinii

Phenology Flowering Aug–Oct. Flowering Jun–Nov.
Habitat Leas, roadsides, stream banks, in sand or on limestone Disturbed places, grasslands, flood plains, forest margins, prairies
Elevation 200–300 m (700–1000 ft) 10–1100 m (0–3600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AR; KS; MO; OK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; CO; IA; IL; KS; KY; LA; MI; MO; NE; OK; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Vernonia arkansana was published in April, V. crinita in October 1838.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Regarding Vernona baldwinii and V. interior, L. H. Shinners (1950) wrote, “The tips of the phyllaries vary from loosely appressed to squarrose, and from puberulent to almost completely glabrous on the inner face. The geographic distribution of the two extremes is nearly identical. I consider the two to be merely forms of one species.” I concur.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 19, p. 208. FNA vol. 19, p. 213.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Vernonieae > Vernonia Asteraceae > tribe Vernonieae > Vernonia
Sibling taxa
V. acaulis, V. angustifolia, 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. 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
Synonyms V. crinita V. baldwinii subsp. interior, V. baldwinii var. interior, V. interior
Name authority de Candolle: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 7: 264. (1838) Torrey: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 2: 211. (1827)
Web links