Liatris spicata

14. Liatris spicata (Linnaeus) Willdenow, Sp. Pl. 3:1636. 1803 · Florist or marsh gayfeatherSerratula spicata Linnaeus, Sp. Pl.2: 819. 1753; Lacinaria spicata(Linnaeus) Kuntze

Plants (20–)40–110(–180) cm.

Corms globose to slightly elongate.

Stems glabrous. Leaves: basal and lower cauline 3–5-nerved, narrowly oblong-lanceolate to narrowly spatulate-oblanceolate, 120–350× (2–)4–10(–20) mm (sometimes becoming more denselyarranged distally), usually gradually reduced distally,essentially glabrous or sparsely villous, weakly glanddotted(glandular hairs often not evident, bases of basal often fibrous-persistent).

Heads in dense to loose, spiciform arrays. Peduncles usually 0, rarely 1–2 mm.

Involucres turbinate-cylindric to turbinate-campanulate,

7–11 × 4–6 mm.

Phyllaries in (3–)4–5 series, ovate to oblong, unequal, essentially glabrous, margins with hyaline borders, sometimes ciliolate, apices rounded to obtuse.

Florets (4–)5–8(–14); corolla tubes glabrous inside. Cypselae (3.5–)4.5–6 mm;

pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate. Varieties 2 (2 in the flora): e North America. Liatris spicata is sold as cut flowers. It also is commonly sold as a garden plant in various genetic permutations (probably derived from var. spicata, perhaps from L. lancifolia) and it apparently escapescultivation. Reports from Arkansas, Connecticut, and Quebec probably reflect plants growing in or escaped from gardens.A geographic disjunction within Liatris spicata occurs between the coastal plain element (var. resinosa) and the inland/montane element (var. spicata), although plants morphologically referable to var. resinosa occasionally are encountered in montane North Carolina and Tennessee and var. spicata-like plants occur in the range of var. resinosa. Apparent intergrades between the two taxa are common, especially in Tennessee and Alabama. The geographical gap is widest in Georgia and Alabama. Neither variety occurs naturally west of the Mississippi River, except for a historical record of var. spicata in Oregon County, Missouri (Kellogg s.n., MO), where the population has now been genetically “swamped” by L. pycnostachya (G. A. Yatskievych, pers. comm.). In both var. spicata and var. resinosa, marked variation (dimorphism) in head size occurs, the largeheaded plants apparently occurring in scattered geographic enclaves without a broader geographicpattern. It seems possible that independent populational origins of polyploidy might underlie the variation. 1. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline (2–)4–8 mm wide (cauline usually abruptly reduced in size near  zidstem, continuing distally as linear, bractlike leaves); involucres 7–9 mm; phyllaries purplish to greenish; florets 5–6(–8); coastal plain . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14a. Liatris spicata var. resinosa1. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline 4–10(–20) mm

wide (cauline usually gradually reduced in size distally); involucres (7–)8–11 mm; phyllaries usually greenish; florets (4–)6–8(–12); montaneand inland . . . . . . . . . . 14b. Liatris spicata var. spicata

14bLiatris spicata (Linnaeus) Willdenow var. resinosa (Nuttall) Gaiser, Rhodora 48: 216. 1946

Liatris resinosa Nuttall, Gen. N.Amer. Pl. 2: 131. 1818

Leaves: basal and proximal cauline (2–)4–8 mm wide (cauline usually abruptly reduced in size

near midstem, continuing distally as linear, bractlike leaves).

Heads in dense (to loose), spiciform arrays. Involucres 7–9 mm.

Phyllaries purplish to greenish. Florets 5–6(–8). 2n = 20. Flowering (Jul–)Aug–Oct(–Nov). Seeps, bogs, bog edges, wet pine and pine-palmetto flatwoods, wet ditches, canal banks, peaty sands, sandy clays; 0–30 m. Ala., Del., Fla., Ga., La., Md., Miss., N.J., N.C., S.C.,

Va. Variety resinosa is particularly variable (especially in Florida) in number of heads (often relatively few and widely separated) and in reduction of cauline leaves.

14b. Liatris spicata (Linnaeus) Willdenow var.

Spicata Leaves: basal and proximal cauline 4–10(–20) mm wide (cauline usually gradually reduced in size distally).

Heads in dense to loose, spiciform arrays.

Involucres(7–)8–11 mm.

Phyllaries usuallygreenish. Florets (4–)6–8(–12).2n = 20.Flowering Jul–Sep. Fields, road banks, fencerows, lake sides, wet to moist prairies and meadows, bogs, seepages, dunes, limestone and graniteoutcrops, sandy clays, sandy loams, moist woods, oak, oak-pine, and sweetgum flats, tamarack swamps; 50– 1700 m; Ont., Que.; Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., Ga., Ill.,

Ind., Ky., Md., Mass., Mich., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., Tenn., Va., W.Va., Wis.

14. Liatris spicata (Linnaeus) Willdenow, Sp. Pl. 3:1636. 1803 · Florist or marsh gayfeatherSerratula spicata Linnaeus, Sp. Pl.2: 819. 1753; Lacinaria spicata(Linnaeus) Kuntze

Plants (20–)40–110(–180) cm.

Corms globose to slightly elongate.

Stems glabrous. Leaves: basal and lower cauline 3–5-nerved, narrowly oblong-lanceolate to narrowly spatulate-oblanceolate, 120–350× (2–)4–10(–20) mm (sometimes becoming more denselyarranged distally), usually gradually reduced distally,essentially glabrous or sparsely villous, weakly glanddotted(glandular hairs often not evident, bases of basal often fibrous-persistent).

Heads in dense to loose, spiciform arrays. Peduncles usually 0, rarely 1–2 mm.

Involucres turbinate-cylindric to turbinate-campanulate,

7–11 × 4–6 mm.

Phyllaries in (3–)4–5 series, ovate to oblong, unequal, essentially glabrous, margins with hyaline borders, sometimes ciliolate, apices rounded to obtuse.

Florets (4–)5–8(–14); corolla tubes glabrous inside. Cypselae (3.5–)4.5–6 mm;

pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate. Varieties 2 (2 in the flora): e North America. Liatris spicata is sold as cut flowers. It also is commonly sold as a garden plant in various genetic permutations (probably derived from var. spicata, perhaps from L. lancifolia) and it apparently escapescultivation. Reports from Arkansas, Connecticut, and Quebec probably reflect plants growing in or escaped from gardens.A geographic disjunction within Liatris spicata occurs between the coastal plain element (var. resinosa) and the inland/montane element (var. spicata), although plants morphologically referable to var. resinosa occasionally are encountered in montane North Carolina and Tennessee and var. spicata-like plants occur in the range of var. resinosa. Apparent intergrades between the two taxa are common, especially in Tennessee and Alabama. The geographical gap is widest in Georgia and Alabama. Neither variety occurs naturally west of the Mississippi River, except for a historical record of var. spicata in Oregon County, Missouri (Kellogg s.n., MO), where the population has now been genetically “swamped” by L. pycnostachya (G. A. Yatskievych, pers. comm.). In both var. spicata and var. resinosa, marked variation (dimorphism) in head size occurs, the largeheaded plants apparently occurring in scattered geographic enclaves without a broader geographicpattern. It seems possible that independent populational origins of polyploidy might underlie the variation. 1. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline (2–)4–8 mm wide (cauline usually abruptly reduced in size near  zidstem, continuing distally as linear, bractlike leaves); involucres 7–9 mm; phyllaries purplish to greenish; florets 5–6(–8); coastal plain . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14a. Liatris spicata var. resinosa1. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline 4–10(–20) mm

wide (cauline usually gradually reduced in size distally); involucres (7–)8–11 mm; phyllaries usually greenish; florets (4–)6–8(–12); montaneand inland . . . . . . . . . . 14b. Liatris spicata var. spicata

14bLiatris spicata (Linnaeus) Willdenow var. resinosa (Nuttall) Gaiser, Rhodora 48: 216. 1946

Liatris resinosa Nuttall, Gen. N.Amer. Pl. 2: 131. 1818

Leaves: basal and proximal cauline (2–)4–8 mm wide (cauline usually abruptly reduced in size

near midstem, continuing distally as linear, bractlike leaves).

Heads in dense (to loose), spiciform arrays. Involucres 7–9 mm.

Phyllaries purplish to greenish. Florets 5–6(–8). 2n = 20. Flowering (Jul–)Aug–Oct(–Nov). Seeps, bogs, bog edges, wet pine and pine-palmetto flatwoods, wet ditches, canal banks, peaty sands, sandy clays; 0–30 m. Ala., Del., Fla., Ga., La., Md., Miss., N.J., N.C., S.C.,

Va. Variety resinosa is particularly variable (especially in Florida) in number of heads (often relatively few and widely separated) and in reduction of cauline leaves.

14b. Liatris spicata (Linnaeus) Willdenow var.

Spicata Leaves: basal and proximal cauline 4–10(–20) mm wide (cauline usually gradually reduced in size distally).

Heads in dense to loose, spiciform arrays.

Involucres(7–)8–11 mm.

Phyllaries usuallygreenish. Florets (4–)6–8(–12).2n = 20.Flowering Jul–Sep. Fields, road banks, fencerows, lake sides, wet to moist prairies and meadows, bogs, seepages, dunes, limestone and graniteoutcrops, sandy clays, sandy loams, moist woods, oak, oak-pine, and sweetgum flats, tamarack swamps; 50– 1700 m; Ont., Que.; Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., Ga., Ill.,

Ind., Ky., Md., Mass., Mich., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., Tenn., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Photographer: Tegegn, Tseday