Flora of the Southeastern United States

Silphidium latifolium (Michaux) Mesfin & D.J. Crawford. Common name: Broadleaf Coreopsis. Phenology: (Jul-) Aug-Sep. Habitat: In rich, moist, cove forests and slopes at medium elevations, primarily from 500 m in the Blue Ridge Escarpment to nearly 1500 m, often locally abundant. Distribution: A Southern Appalachian endemic: sw. NC and se. TN (Polk County) (Chester, Wofford, & Kral 1997) south into nw. SC and ne. GA.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: This species was treated by Smith (1976) in a monotypic section (section Silphidium) of Coreopsis, and, indeed, it does not closely resemble our other species of Coreopsis. Smith (1976) considered it a primitive species, with its closest relatives in Mexico, and all of his attempts to hybridize it with other Southeastern Coreopsis failed. Phylogenetic results have confirmed its evolutionary isolation, and Mesfin & Crawford (2023) placed it in a monotypic genus, Silphidium.

Other Comments: Flowering appears to be triggered by canopy tree-fall light gaps. This species often occurs in association with Helianthus glaucophyllus, another species that likes rich, moist soils, but sunlight.

Synonymy ⓘ: = POWO, Tadesse & Crawford (2023); = Coreopsis latifolia Michx. — FNA21, K4, RAB, S, SE1, Tn, W, Sherff & Alexander (1955), Smith (1976); = Leiodon latifolius (Michx.) Shuttlew. Basionym: Coreopsis latifolia Michx. 1803

Links to other floras: = Coreopsis latifolia - FNA21

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)

Heliophily ⓘ: 4