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1 Shrubs; leaves opposite; [TX westward]; [section Xerobrickellia] |
1 Perennial herbs (sometimes from a woody caudex); leaves opposite, subopposite, or alternate (or mixed); [collectively widespread]. |
2 Leaves rounded to cordate at base; lower stem leaf blades 1-2.5× as long as wide; petioles 10-70 mm long; flowers 20-40 (-70) per head; [section Brickellia] |
3 Heads nodding in flower and fruit; pappus purplish, of 38-46 bristles; flowers purplish; [GA, AL and n. FL] |
3 Heads ascending or erect in flower and fruit; pappus white, of 20-30 bristles; flowers pale yellow-green; [MO and AR and westward] |
2 Leaves cuneate at base; lower stem leaf blades 2-8× as long as wide; petioles 0-10 mm long; flowers 6-35 per head; [collectively widespread in our region]. |
4 Blades of middle and upper stem leaves lance- ovate, 2-3.5× as long as wide; pappus of 30-35 barbellate bristles; [nc. to sc. TX, mainly Edwards Plateau]; [section Coleosanthus] |
4 Blades of middle and upper stem leaves linear or lanceolate, 4-10× as long as wide; pappus of 20-28 plumose or subplumose bristles; [collectively widespread in our region]; [section Kuhnia]. |
5 Flowers 6-15 per head; [collectively widespread in our region]. |
6 Outer and middle phyllaries often nearly equaling the inner in length, with apices long- attenuate into falcate or twisted, filiform tips |
6 Outer and middle phyllaries graduate in length, with apices apices appressed, acute to short- acuminate, similar to the inner. |
7 Leaves (below the inflorescence) lanceolate- ovate to lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, mostly 25-100 mm long, 5-40 mm wide, rarely linear as populational variants, if linear then 15-30 mm long, 2-3 mm wide; widespread in our region, south in FL to ec. peninsular FL (Brevard County)] |
7 Leaves (all of the stem) linear, 6-8 (-25) mm long, 1-2 (-3) mm wide; [s. FL (Miami-Dade County)] |
5 Flowers (12-) 14-35 per head; [collectively: s. IN, s. IL, sw. MO, c. OK, and ne. and wc. TX northwestwards]. |
8 Leaves linear; flowers 15-35 per head; [ec. TX westwards] |
8 Leaves broader; flowers (12-) 14-24 (-29) per head; [collectively: s. IN, s. IL, sw. MO, c. OK, and ne. and wc. TX northwestwards] |
9 Outer and middle phyllaries often nearly equaling the inner in length, with apices long- attenuate into loose and spreading, falcate or twisted, filiform tips |
9 Outer and middle phyllaries graduated in length, with apices appressed, acute to short- acuminate |