Greene’s elegant gayfeather

Lacinaria elegantula Greene, Pittonia 4: 316. 1901 (as Laciniaria); Liatris graminifolia Willdenow var. elegantula (Greene) Gaiser

Plants 60–105 cm. Corms mostly globose. Stems glabrous. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, linear-oblanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate, 80–210 × 2–5(–10) mm, gradually or abruptly reduced distally, essentially glabrous (sparsely piloso-ciliate along proximal margins), gland-dotted. Heads in loose, racemiform arrays (internodes 2–14 mm). Peduncles 0 or (ascending) 2(–7) mm. Involucres turbinate, 6–8 × 5–7 mm. Phyllaries in 3–4(–5) series, mostly oblong, unequal, essentially glabrous, margins with hyaline borders (0.2–0.4 mm wide), sometimes sparsely ciliolate, apices rounded. Florets (7–)8–11(–13); corolla tubes pilose inside. Cypselae 2.8–3.5(–3.8) mm; pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate. 2n = 20.

Flowering Aug–Oct(–Nov). Longleaf pine-scrub oak, pine, live oak-pine, deciduous oak-pine, deciduous flatwoods, sandhills, savanna edges, edges of cypress depressions, depression meadows, live oak-pine-palmetto hammocks, sandy clay or loam, rarely clay; 0–300(–500) m; Ala., Fla., Ga., Miss.