Carphephorus Cassini.
A genus of 4 species, herbs, endemic to the Southeastern Coastal Plain of North America. The merger of Trilisa and Litrisa into Carphephorus has been questioned (Schmidt & Schilling 2000) and Schilling (2011) provided evidence that both Trilisa and Litrisa should be maintained as separate genera. Schilling (2011b) states that “Carphephorus remains enigmatic, and not only do the features that appear to be diagnostic for the genus appear to be plesiomorphies (elongate rootstocks; cymose capitulescences; larger heads; and notched tips of the anther appendages), there is no evidence from the molecular results that it represents a monophyletic entity. One potential resolution would be to recognize as distinct genera C. corymbosus, C. pseudoliatris, and C. bellidifolius + C. tomentosus. A second and perhaps better approach would be to combine Carphephorus (e.g. excluding Trilisa and Litrisa) and Liatris into a single genus.”
Ref: Correa & Wilbur (1969); Cronquist (1980); DeLaney, Bissett, & Weidenhamer (1999); Nesom (2006hh) In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2006c); Orzell & Bridges (2002); Schilling (2011b); Schmidt & Schilling (2000). Show full citations.
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© Gary P. Fleming | 
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