Coreopsis linifolia Nuttall. Savanna Coreopsis. Phen: Early Jul-late Oct. Hab: Pine savannas, sandhill seeps, sandhill-pocosin ecotones. Dist: Se. VA south to ne. and Panhandle FL, west to e. TX.

ID notes:Basal rosettes of this species are abundant in wet savannas and can be distinguished readily by the distinctive leaves: very long-petiolate, about 1 cm across, the pinnate venation very neat (the main lateral veins straight and parallel to the other laterals on the same side of the leaf), with small dark dots when backlit, and very thick (ca. 1 mm) and stiff in texture.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: The proper taxonomic treatment of this taxon and its relatives remains unclear. Smith (1976) interpreted C. linifolia to range from se. VA south and west along the Coastal Plain to e. TX (with a few inland disjunctions) and to consist of two chromosome races, a diploid Gulf Coast race (w. FL to se. TX) and a tetraploid Atlantic Coast race (s. GA to se. VA), "not differing sufficiently morphologically to justify nomenclatural recognition." Fernald, however, named C. oniscicarpa (the tetraploid) based on morphologic characters. Given the existence of morphologic characters, the failure of Smith's attempted hybridizations of the two "races," his speculation that the tetraploid could be an allotetraploid (though likely an autotetraploid), and the allopatric ranges of the two races, specific recognition is plausible. Further study is needed. Cronquist (in C, G, SE) does not recognize C. oniscicarpa as distinct from C. linifolia, and reduces C. linifolia (sensu lato) to a variety of C. gladiata, also including C. falcata in the typic variety of C. gladiata. The abundant morphologic, phenologic, and ecologic differences between C. gladiata, C. linifolia, and C. falcata render such an approach undesirable.

Synonymy: = GW2, K1, K3, K4, Tx, Va, WH3, Sherff & Alexander (1955), Smith (1976), Sorrie, LeBlond, & Weakley (2013); = Coreopsis angustifolia Aiton – RAB, possibly misapplied; = Coreopsis gladiata Walter var. linifolia (Nutt.) Cronquist – C, G, SE1; < Coreopsis gladiata Walter – FNA21; > Coreopsis oniscicarpa Fernald var. oniscicarpa – F; > Coreopsis oniscicarpa Fernald var. simulans Fernald – F

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW (taxonomic lump from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily: 9