Liatris hirsuta

From Coastal Plain Plants Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search

Common name: scaly blazing star[1]

Liatris hirsuta
Liatris hirsuta KWF.jpg
Photo by Michael Haddock at Kansas Wildflowers Database
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida - Dicots
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Liatris
Species: L. hirsuta
Binomial name
Liatris hirsuta
L.
LIAT HIRS DIST.JPG
Natural range of Liatris hirsuta from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Taxonomic Notes

Synonyms: Laciniaria squarrosa (Linnaeus) Hill; Liatris squarrosa (Linnaeus) Michaux var. hirsuta (Rydberg) Gaiser.[2]

Varieties: none.[2]

Description

L. hirsuta is a perennial forb/herb of the Asteraceae family native to North America.[1] The erect stems grow up to 1 m tall and have a pubescent texture. The fibers of the old basal leaves are usually absent. The lower leaves are 3.5 dm long, 0.5-1.5 cm wide, and glabrous to pubescent. The rachis is also pubescent, Involucres are usually pedunculate and cylindric, 2-3 cm long, and 1-2 cm in diamter. The bracts are acuminate or acute, squarrose, pubescent to glabrous, with a green to purple color. The heads are 20-30 flowered with peduncles that are absent or 2.5 cm long. The corolla lobes are lavender, 4-7 mm long. The nutlets are 5-7 mm long and pubescent. The pappus is plumose and 12-15 mm long.[2]

Distribution

L. hirsuta is found from Iowa and Nebraska to Mississippi, Louisianna, and Texas. There are disjunct populations in northwest Georgia.[2]

Ecology

Habitat

L. hirsuta is found in glades and prairies.[3] Specimens have been collected from sandy loam on roadside, hardwood hammock margins, clearing in longleaf pinewoods, wiregrass longleaf pine woods, longleaf pine savanna, and moist loany sand of pine-oak regions.[4]

Phenology

This plant flowers June through September.[2]

Conservation, cultivation, and restoration

L. hirsuta is listed as endangered by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Natural Heritage Program, and as probably extirpated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Natural Features Inventory.[1]

Cultural use

Photo Gallery

References and notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 USDA Plant Database https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=LISQH
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Weakley, A.S. 2015. Flora of the southern and mid-atlantic states. Working Draft of 21 May 2015. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
  3. Weakley, A. S. (2015). Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States. Chapel Hill, NC, University of North Carolina Herbarium.
  4. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2018. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, R.K. Godfrey, Steven P. Christman, R.Kral. States and counties: Florida (Washinggton, Escambia, Highlands, Santa Rosa) Georgia (Thomas) Alabama (Lowndes)