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Asteraceae
Pityopsis

Pityopsis aspera (Shuttleworth ex Small) Small var. adenolepis (Fernald) Semple & F.D. Bowers. Phenology: Late Jun-Oct. Habitat: Longleaf pine sandhills, dry woodlands, forests, and disturbed places, apparently in the NC Mountains only in the Escarpment. Distribution: E. MD (Simmons & Fleming 2023) and e. and c. VA south to n. FL and west to s. MS.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: P. aspera var. adenolepis includes 2 chromosome numbers (2n = 18 and 36), which "account, in part, for the range of variation in involucre, floret, and fruit size" (Semple & Bowers 1985). Nesom (2019a) subsumes this variety under a more broadly defined P. aspera, since he did not find a clear morphological or geographic separation between these varieties. We are tentatively maintaining the varieties, pending further field study of this variation.

Synonymy ⓘ: = FNA20, Va, Semple & Bowers (1985); = Chrysopsis graminifolia (Michx.) Elliott — F, misapplied; = Heterotheca adenolepis (Fernald) H.E.Ahles — Bowers (1972); = n/a — Tat; = Pityopsis adenolepis (Fernald) Semple; < Chrysopsis graminifolia (Michx.) Elliott var. aspera (Shuttlew. ex Small) A.Gray — C, G, SE1, W; > Heterotheca adenolepis (Fernald) H.E.Ahles — RAB; < Heterotheca aspera (Shuttlew. ex Small) Shinners; > Heterotheca graminifolia (Michx.) Shinners — RAB, misapplied; < Pityopsis aspera (Shuttlew. ex Small) Small — Fl7, K4, POWO, S, WH3, Nesom (2019a); Chrysopsis adenolepis Fernald. Basionym: Chrysopsis adenolepis Fernald 1942

Links to other floras: = Pityopsis aspera var. adenolepis - FNA20

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Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Weakley source
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Weakley source
image of plant© Alan Weakley source

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of dry woodlands, forests, and disturbed places.

Stems: Stems branched in inflorescence, covered with a mixture of silky hairs and gland-tipped hairs.

Leaves: Leaves mostly toward stem bottom, alternate, linear-lance-shaped and parallel-veined, to 14 in. long (smaller upward), covered with silky hairs.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in widely branching, terminal cluster; heads about 1/2 in. wide; consisting of 8-13 yellow ray florets encircling a small center disk of 15-20 tiny, yellow, tubular florets. Green, gland-covered bracts surround the cylindric base of each head.

Fruits:

Comments:

Height: 8-18 in.

plant sale text: Carolina silkgrass is beautiful and easy to grow when given sun and good drainage. Not often offered for sale. During the spring and summer, its attractive foliage looks great even in high humidity or drought. The bright yellow flowers are borne on upright stems above its silvery grass like foliage. Silkgrass will tolerate moderate shade but flowers best in full sun. This plant is attractive to butterflies. It colonizes moderately and makes an effective, unusual groundcover for sunny areas.

bloom table text:

description: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of dry woodlands, forests, and disturbed places.

stems: Stems branched in inflorescence, covered with a mixture of silky hairs and gland-tipped hairs.

leaves: Leaves mostly toward stem bottom, alternate, linear-lance-shaped and parallel-veined, to 14 in. long (smaller upward), covered with silky hairs.

inflorescence:

flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in widely branching, terminal cluster; heads about 1/2 in. wide; consisting of 8-13 yellow ray florets encircling a small center disk of 15-20 tiny, yellow, tubular florets. Green, gland-covered bracts surround the cylindric base of each head.

fruits:

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: southeastern United States



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