Vernonia angustifolia

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Vernonia angustifolia
Vernonia angustifolia Gil.jpg
Photo taken by Gil Nelson
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae ⁄ Compositae
Genus: Vernonia
Species: V. angustifolia
Binomial name
Vernonia angustifolia
Michx.
VERN ANGU dist.jpg
Natural range of Vernonia angustifolia from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: tall ironweed

Description

A description of Vernonia angustifolia is provided in The Flora of North America.

Distribution

Ecology

Habitat

V. angustifolia was found around 6.25% of the active gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows observed by Birkhead and his team (Birkhead et al 2005). It can live in areas where dominant soils are Utisols (Coffey and Kirkman 2006). It can be found in pine savanna communities (Birkhead et al 2005). It is a common occurrence in longleaf pine communities (Coffey and Kirkman 2006; Brewer and Cralle 2003). It is also associated with sandhill communities (Heuberger et al 2003).

Phenology

It is a fall forb (Kirkman et al 2004). Showy-flowered sandhill species (Heuberger et al 2003).

Seed dispersal

It is dispersed by wind (Kirkman et al 2004).

Seed bank and germination

Less than 1% of V. angustifolia seeds remained viable after two years of burial by Coffey and Kirkman (2006). Thus, V. angustifolia doesn't have a short-term persistent soil seed bank and has little seed dormancy.

Fire ecology

It can live in areas frequently burned (Coffey and Kirkman 2006).

Pollination

Use by animals

Diseases and parasites

Conservation and Management

Cultivation and restoration

Photo Gallery

References and notes

Birkhead, R. D., C. Guyer, et al. (2005). "Patterns of folivory and seed ingestion by gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in a southeastern pine savanna." American Midland Naturalist 154: 143-151.

Brewer, J. S. and S. P. Cralle (2003). "Phosphorus addition reduces invasion of a longleaf pine savanna (southeastern USA) by a non-indigenous grass (Imperata cylindrica)." Plant Ecology 167: 237-245.

Coffey, K. L. and L. K. Kirkman (2006). "Seed germination strategies of species with restoration potential in a fire-maintained pine savanna." Natural Areas Journal 26: 289-299.

Heuberger, K. A. and F. E. Putz (2003). "Fire in the suburbs: ecological impacts of prescribed fire in small remnants of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) sandhill." Restoration Ecology 11: 72-81.

Kirkman, L. K., K. L. Coffey, et al. (2004). "Ground cover recovery patterns and life-history traits: implications for restoration obstacles and opportunities in a species-rich savanna." Journal of Ecology 92: 409-421.