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

woolly ironweed

prairie ironweed, smooth ironweed, western ironweed

Habit Plants 2–5(–8+) dm. Plants 3–12+ dm.
Stems

± pannose.

puberulent, glabrescent.

Leaves

mostly cauline;

blades linear, 5–8 cm × 2–4 mm, l/w = 17–25(–40), abaxially densely sericeo-tomentose, adaxially usually glabrate, sometimes sparsely arachno-tomentose.

mostly cauline;

blades ± lanceolate, 5–12(–20+) cm × 5–18(–40+) mm, l/w = 5–9(–14+), abaxially glabrate (pitted, with awl-shaped hairs in pits), adaxially scabrellous, resin-gland-dotted (sometimes pitted).

Peduncles

5–35 mm.

1–8(–12+) mm.

Involucres

± obconic to campanulate, 6–10 × 5–8 mm.

± campanulate, 5–7(–8+) × 4–6 mm.

Florets

12–24+.

12–25+.

Phyllaries

40–50+ in 5–6+ series, sericeo-tomentose, including margins, the outer lance-ovate, 1–2 mm, the inner lanceolate to lance-linear, 6–7(–9+) mm, tips acute.

25–35+ in 4–5+ series, glabrescent, margins arachno-ciliolate, the outer lance-ovate, 1–3 mm, inner oblong to linear-oblong, 5–7+ mm, tips acute or rounded-apiculate.

Heads

in corymbiform arrays.

in congested, corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

3–4 mm;

pappi stramineous to purplish, outer scales 20+, 0.6–1.1 mm, contrasting with 20+, 6–7+ mm inner bristles.

3.5–4 mm;

pappi fuscous to purplish, outer subulate scales or bristles 20–30, 0.5–3+ mm, intergrading with 35–45+, 5–7+ mm inner subulate scales or bristles.

2n

= 34.

= 34.

Vernonia lindheimeri

Vernonia fasciculata

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Calcareous soils, rocky banks Bottomlands, ditches, low prairies
Elevation 300 m (1000 ft) 100–1200 m (300–3900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AR; TX; Mexico (Coahuila)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; MA; MN; MO; ND; NE; OH; OK; SD; WI; MB
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 19, p. 210. FNA vol. 19, p. 211.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Vernonieae > Vernonia Asteraceae > tribe Vernonieae > Vernonia
Sibling taxa
V. acaulis, V. angustifolia, V. arkansana, V. baldwinii, V. blodgettii, V. fasciculata, V. flaccidifolia, V. gigantea, V. glauca, V. larseniae, V. lettermannii, V. marginata, V. missurica, V. noveboracensis, V. pulchella, V. texana
V. acaulis, V. angustifolia, V. arkansana, V. baldwinii, V. blodgettii, V. flaccidifolia, V. gigantea, V. glauca, V. larseniae, V. lettermannii, V. lindheimeri, V. marginata, V. missurica, V. noveboracensis, V. pulchella, V. texana
Synonyms V. fasciculata subsp. corymbosa, V. fasciculata var. corymbosa
Name authority A. Gray & Engelmann: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 1: 46. (1847) Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 94. (1803)
Web links