by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages
Asteraceae (Compositae) > Liatris (blazing star) |
 |
Heller's Blazing Star (Liatris helleri) Avery Co., NC 26 July 2006 Rare in high elevation rocky open areas in the NC mountains, Heller's Blazing Star is a federally threatened species. This population at Grandfather Mountain in NC was just starting to flower in late July. |
 |
Heller's Blazing Star (Liatris helleri) Avery Co., NC 26 July 2006 |
 |
Shaggy Blazing Star, Grass-leaf Blazing Star (Liatris pilosa) Craven Co., NC 28 Aug 2005 Formerly known as Liatris graminifolia, this fall blooming species is common and can be a butterfly magnet in power line clearings. |
 |
Sandhill Blazing Star (Liatris secunda) Scotland Co., NC 1 Oct 2006 Rare in NC (Watch List) in the sandhills. |
 |
Sandhill Blazing Star (Liatris secunda) Scotland Co., NC 1 Oct 2006 |
 |
Sandhill Blazing Star (Liatris secunda) Scotland Co., NC 1 Oct 2006 |
 |
Dense Blazing Star, Gayfeather (Liatris spicata var. resinosa) Craven Co., NC 27 Aug 2006 Common statewide in NC in savannas, wet fields, roadsides, etc. |
 |
Dense Blazing Star, Gayfeather (Liatris spicata var. resinosa) Craven Co., NC 27 Aug 2006 Flowers are very attractive to nectar seeking butterflies in the fall. |
 |
Dense Blazing Star, Gayfeather (Liatris spicata var. resinosa) Craven Co., NC 27 Aug 2006 |
 |
Scaly Blazing Star (Liatris squarrosa) Granville Co., NC 10 Sep 2006 Statewide and fairly common in NC in savannas and other open habitats. |
 |
Scaly Blazing Star (Liatris squarrosa) Granville Co., NC 10 Sep 2006 |
 |
Scaly Blazing Star (Liatris squarrosa) Granville Co., NC 10 Sep 2006 |
 |
perhaps Scaly Blazing Star (Liatris squarrosa) Durham Co., NC 5 Aug 2006 |
 |
perhaps Scaly Blazing Star (Liatris squarrosa) Durham Co., NC 5 Aug 2006 |
 |
Southern Blazing Star, Appalachian Blazing Star, Earl's Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa) Durham Co., NC 13 Oct 2011 Rare in NC, this blazing star grows in barrens, glades, diabase dikes, and similar high pH soils. |
 |
Southern Blazing Star, Appalachian Blazing Star, Earl's Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa) Durham Co., NC 13 Oct 2011 Phyllaries are reflexed and obtusely tipped. |
 |
Southern Blazing Star, Appalachian Blazing Star, Earl's Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa) Durham Co., NC 13 Oct 2011 |
 |
Southern Blazing Star, Appalachian Blazing Star, Earl's Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa) Durham Co., NC 13 Oct 2011 The pappus is barbellate and the inner corolla tube appears to be glabrous. |
 |
Southern Blazing Star, Appalachian Blazing Star, Earl's Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa) Durham Co., NC 13 Oct 2011 |
 |
Southern Blazing Star, Appalachian Blazing Star, Earl's Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa) Durham Co., NC 13 Oct 2011 Heads vary from sessile to short pedunculate. |
 |
Southern Blazing Star, Appalachian Blazing Star, Earl's Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa) Durham Co., NC 13 Oct 2011 Clouded Skippers enjoy Blazing Stars. |
 |
Southern Blazing Star, Appalachian Blazing Star, Earl's Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa) Durham Co., NC 13 Oct 2011 Mid-cauline leaves |
 |
Southern Blazing Star, Appalachian Blazing Star, Earl's Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa) Durham Co., NC 13 Oct 2011 Lower cauline leaves are up to 5cm wide or so. |
 |
Southern Blazing Star, Appalachian Blazing Star, Earl's Blazing Star (Liatris squarrulosa) Durham Co., NC 13 Oct 2011 |
Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.
Created on May 7, 2006 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com