Pityopsis aspera

(A. Gray) Small

Man. S.E. Fl., 1341. 1933.

Endemic
Basionym: Chrysopsis graminifolia var. aspera A. Gray Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 1(2): 121. 1884
Synonyms: Chrysopsis aspera (A. Gray) Shuttleworth ex Small Heterotheca aspera (A. Gray) Shinners
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 20. Treatment on page 225. Mentioned on page 223.

Perennials, 20–50 cm; rhizomes 1–20 cm. Stems usually 1, erect, green to brown distally, simple, slender, proximally silky-sericeous, distal 2/3 sometimes densely stipitate-glandular. Leaves: basal overwintering, in rosettes (at ends of short rhizomes), ascending to spreading, blades linear-oblanceolate, 50–250(–350) × 5–10 mm, margins sometimes stipitate-glandular, apices acute, faces sparsely to densely silky-sericeous; cauline ascending, linear, greatly reduced distally, margins sparsely to densely stipitate-glandular, sparsely sericeous, glabrescent, or densely stipitate-glandular; proximal 30–120 × 2–10 mm, distal 20–50 × 1–3 mm, sometimes glabrate. Heads (4–)10–79, in corymbiform arrays. Peduncles 1–7, 1–6 cm, densely stipitate-glandular, glabrescent; bracteoles linear, stipitate-glandular. Involucres turbinate, 4.5–8 mm (shorter than mature pappi). Phyllaries in 5–7 series, margins fimbriate, sparsely piloso-ciliate, moderately so distally (green zones in distal 1/2), apices acute, sometimes long piloso-ciliate distally, faces moderately stipitate-glandular. Ray florets 6–10; laminae 4–6 mm. Disc florets 15–45; corollas 4–5.5 mm, proximal throats glabrate to sparsely short-pilose, lobes 0.5 mm, glabrous to sparsely pilose. Cypselae fusiform, 2–3 mm, ribbed, faces strigose; pappi: outer of linear to linear-triangular scales 0.5–1 mm, inner of 25–35 bristles 5–6 mm.

Distribution

V20-497-distribution-map.gif

Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C., Va.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Pityopsis aspera grows on the outer coastal plain.

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Stems stipitate-glandular throughout; proximal cauline leaf faces silky-sericeous, mid to distal margins stipitate-glandular, faces usually glabrate; Florida, Georgia Pityopsis aspera var. aspera
1 Stems sometimes stipitate-glandular distally; cauline leaf margins and faces sericeous; Louisiana to Virginia Pityopsis aspera var. adenolepis