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Liatris spicata - (image 1 of 6)

Taxonomy

Family: Asteraceae

Habitat

Prairies, mesic prairies. Peaty or boggy soils. Calcareous fens and sandflats.

Associates

Distribution

Morphology

Basal leaves well-developed and present at flowering time. Cauline leaves alternate, linear to narrowly lanceolate. Stems pubescent . Inflorescence a spiciform or racemose spike, much longer than broad. Stems glabrous to glabrate. Involucres up to 11mm high, the bracts mostly rounded or obtuse to subacute; corolla tube glabrous within; heads more than 20, sessile, each with fewer than 15 flowers; pappus barbellate.

Notes

Flowers mid July to late September.

Wetland indicator: Facultative

This plant creates a great floral display in fens and on springy slopes in late summer. It blooms just before boneset and spotted joe-pye-weed.

Bibliography

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

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