Liatris gracilis

Pursh

Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 508. 1813.

Common names: Slender gayfeather
IllustratedEndemic
Synonyms: Lacinaria gracilis (Pursh) Kuntze Lacinaria laxa Small
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 21. Treatment on page 531. Mentioned on page 515, 516.

Plants 20–100 cm. Corms globose to subglobose. Stems puberulent to piloso- or strigoso-puberulent. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, usually linear to linear-oblanceolate or oblanceolate, sometimes narrowly spatulate, 50–150 × 2–8(–10) mm, gradually or abruptly reduced on distal 1/2–1/3 of stems, essentially glabrous (proximal margins ciliate). Heads in loose, racemiform arrays. Peduncles 0 or (usually straight, stiffly spreading to ascending) 2–10(–12) mm. Involucres cylindro-campanulate, (4–)4.5–6(–7) × 3–4(–5) mm. Phyllaries in 3(–4) series, (green to purple) ovate to oblong, strongly to weakly unequal, sparsely puberulent, margins with hyaline borders, ciliolate, apices rounded to truncate. Florets 3–6(–9); corolla tubes pilose inside. Cypselae 3–3.5 mm; pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate. 2n = 20.


Phenology: Flowering (Jul–)Aug–Oct(–Nov).
Habitat: Longleaf pine, slash pine, palmetto-scrub oak, turkey oak-bluejack oak, sand scrub, sand ridges, uplands, boggy flatwoods, sandy peat, fencerows, roadsides, woodland edges
Elevation: 10–50 m

Distribution

V21-1350-distribution-map.gif

Ala., Fla., Ga., Miss., S.C.

Discussion

Plants of Liatris gracilis from the panhandle of Florida and the southern tier of Alabama counties tend to have sharply acute phyllaries; intermediates are often encountered.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Liatris gracilis"
Guy L. Nesom +
Slender gayfeather +
Ala. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Miss. +  and S.C. +
10–50 m +
Longleaf pine, slash pine, palmetto-scrub oak, turkey oak-bluejack oak, sand scrub, sand ridges, uplands, boggy flatwoods, sandy peat, fencerows, roadsides, woodland edges +
Flowering (Jul–)Aug–Oct(–Nov). +
Fl. Amer. Sept. +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
Lacinaria gracilis +  and Lacinaria laxa +
Liatris gracilis +
species +