Liatris punctata
 
Dotted Blazingstar

Middle Leaf Bottom

Nicolle Flats
12-Aug-2005

Flora of North America recognizes three varieties of L. punctata distinguished according a key found in the link.  Flora of the Great Plains divides these three varieties into two species, L. punctata and L. mucronata.  I am following Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta, which recognize a single species only.

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Punctata: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
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lower leaves 2-4 mm wide; NOT [lower leaves 10-20 mm wide]

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flower heads with 4-6 florets; NOT [flower heads with more than 15 florets]

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heads cylindrical; NOT [heads subglobose]

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heads narrower than 1-3 cm wide

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pappus bristles plumose; NOT [pappus bristles barbellate]

 

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Liatris: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
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juice watery; NOT [juice milky]

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leaves NOT whorled

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leaves linear to oblanceolate; NOT [leaves triangular to ovate]

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flowers in elongated racemes or spikes; NOT [flowers in terminal, more or less flat-topped clusters or solitary]

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bracts of involucre NOT [dry or parchmenty]

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bracts of involucre usually green

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involucral bracts NOT spiny-tipped and WITHOUT hooked bristles

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receptacle naked; NOT [receptacle densely bristly]

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flower heads with all florets tubular

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flowers all perfect; NOT [flowers of some heads all pistillate or the outer flowers pistillate]

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florets pink to purple; NOT [florets whitish to cream, yellow, greenish yellow, or orange]

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stamens united to form a tube around the pistil

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pappus present, distinct; NOT [pappus none or inconspicuous]

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pappus of capillary bristles or hairs, sometimes plumose; NOT [pappus of scales, or of awns, or a crown]

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pappus hairs much longer than achene