Liatris ligulistylis

Liatris ligulistylis (Rocky Mountain blazing star,[2] northern plains blazing star, or meadow blazing star[3]) is a flowering plant of the aster family, native to the central United States and central Canada.

Liatris ligulistylis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Liatris
Species:
L. ligulistylis
Binomial name
Liatris ligulistylis
(A.Nelson) K.Schum.
Synonyms[1]

Lacinaria ligulistylis A.Nelson

Basal leaves

Description

The leaves have whitish midribs, and are positioned basally and mostly alternately on the stem. They vary from linear and sessile nearer the top of the plant, to oblanceolate with petioles nearer the bottom.[4] The stem is up to 100 cm (39 in). The stem and leaves are sparsely to densely covered with short white hairs.[5][3]

There are 4–21 flowers[5] arranged in a loose raceme on the upper part of the stem, with rounded pinkish purple flower heads on 8–15 mm (5⁄16–9⁄16 in) stems. Each flower head has 30-100 five-lobed, tubular flowers surrounded by spoon-shaped bracts (phyllaries) with translucent, jagged, and often purple edges that fold inward. Each flower has a long, thread-like, divided style protruding from the center.[3] The fruits (cypselae) are 5–7 mm (3⁄16–1⁄4 in) long, each with a ring (pappus) of barbed hairs at the top.[5]

Liatris aspera is similar to Liatris ligulistylis in having button-like flower heads, but the stalks of its flower heads are shorter or absent altogether, and it prefers drier habitats.[3]

Ecology

The flowers are popular with monarch butterflies,[6] and it is a host for the bleeding flower moth (Schinia sanguinea).[7]

References
  1. "Liatris ligulistylis". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
  2. "Liatris ligulistylis". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  3. Chayka, Katy; Dziuk, Peter (2016). "Liatris ligulistylis (Northern Plains Blazing Star)". Minnesota Wildflowers. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  4. Lee, Glen; Lee, Maureen (2014). "Liatris ligulistylis (Meadow Blazing Star) - photos and description". Saskatchewan Wildflowers. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  5. Nesom, Guy L. (2006). "Liatris ligulistylis". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). 21. New York and Oxford – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  6. The Xerces Society (2016), Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects, Timber Press.
  7. The Xerces Society (2016). Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects. Timber Press. ISBN 978-1604695984.


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