Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Campanulids: Asterales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Liatris helleri
FAMILY
Asteraceae__
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Smooth Blazing-star at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
Recent molecular studies show strong molecular differentiation between the Liatris helleri and L. turgida, but with a narrower circumscription of L. helleri, with some higher elevation populations away from Grandfather Mountain (and Roan Mountain?) being better assigned to L. turgida. New morphological studies are planned to find characters to reliably differentiate what are here provisionally accepted as two species. Read more in Weakley's Flora (2023).
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Liatris helleri
FAMILY
Asteraceae__
INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Liatris helleri
INCLUDED WITHIN Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 19-20-21 (2006)
Liatris helleri
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Liatris helleri
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-30-006:
Liatris helleri FAMILY Asteraceae__
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Laciniaria helleri
COMMON NAME:
Smooth Blazing-star, Heller's Blazing-star
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Will Stuart wil_5980190656_af1483f09d
A rare species limited to small scattered populations in mtns of NC, VA & WV, per Wildflowers & Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont (Spira, 2011).
)
Will Stuart wil5980190656_af1483f09db
July Avery County NC
Grandfather Mountain
Heads of 7-10 disk flowers subtended by several series of overlapping bracts, per Wildflowers & Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont (Spira, 2011).
)
Keith Bradley kab_liatris_helleri_10488
August Avery County NC
Grandfather Mountain
)
Keith Bradley kab_liatris_helleri_10493
August Avery County NC
Grandfather Mountain
Upright stems to 16" tall, stem leaves gradually reduced in size, per Wildflowers & Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont (Spira, 2011).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Liatris helleri
FAMILY
Asteraceae__
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Liatris helleri
FAMILY
Asteraceae__
INCLUDED WITHIN
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Liatris helleri
INCLUDED WITHIN
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 19-20-21
Liatris helleri
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Liatris helleri
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-30-006:
Liatris helleri
FAMILY
Asteraceae__
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Laciniaria helleri
822
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: High elevation rock outcrops, sometimes on ledges of precipitous cliffs, rocky openings in heath balds, per Weakley's Flora
Native to North Carolina
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate & basal rosette
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Disc: Purplish-blue, lavender
Rays: Absent
Inferior ovary
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Blackish
Achene
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999) p108
- Wildflowers & Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont (Spira, 2011) p396
- Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998) p187
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