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Baldwin's ironweed

Texas ironweed

Habit Plants 6–10(–15) dm. Plants 4–8(–10+) dm.
Stems

puberulent to ± tomentose.

puberulent, glabrescent.

Leaves

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.

basal and cauline;

blades ovate-lanceolate (basal) to narrowly lanceolate (distal), 5–12+ cm × (5–)12–25+ mm, l/w = 3–5 (basal) or 8–17 (distal), abaxially glabrate (pitted, awl-shaped hairs in pits), adaxially puberulent and/or scabrellous.

Peduncles

1–25 mm.

1–35 mm.

Involucres

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

± obconic to hemispheric, 4.5–6 × 5–7 mm.

Florets

(15–)20–25(–35+).

12–24+.

Phyllaries

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).

35–45+ in 5–6+ series, glabrescent, margins arachno-ciliolate, the outer lance-deltate, 1–32 mm, inner oblong to linear, 4–5(–6) mm, tips acute or rounded-apiculate.

Heads

in corymbiform-scorpioid arrays.

in open, paniculiform-scorpioid arrays.

Cypselae

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.

2–3 mm;

pappi usually whitish to stramineous (rarely purplish), outer scales or bristles 20+, 0.3–1+ mm, contrasting or intergrading with 20+, 6–7+ mm inner subulate scales or bristles.

2n

= 34.

= 34.

Vernonia baldwinii

Vernonia texana

Phenology Flowering Jun–Nov. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Disturbed places, grasslands, flood plains, forest margins, prairies Pinelands, scrub oak woodlands, sandy or sandy-clay soils
Elevation 10–1100 m (0–3600 ft) 60–200 m (200–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AR; CO; IA; IL; KS; KY; LA; MI; MO; NE; OK; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; LA; MS; OK; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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. 213. FNA vol. 19, p. 211.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Vernonieae > Vernonia Asteraceae > tribe Vernonieae > Vernonia
Sibling taxa
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
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. missurica, V. noveboracensis, V. pulchella
Synonyms V. baldwinii subsp. interior, V. baldwinii var. interior, V. interior V. angustifolia var. texana
Name authority Torrey: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 2: 211. (1827) (A. Gray) Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 1338. (1903)
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