Silphium asteriscus L. var. asteriscus

Locations ofSilphium asteriscus L. var. asteriscus in Virginia

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Detail

Family
Asteraceae
Botanical Name
Silphium asteriscus L. var. asteriscus
Common Name
Starry Rosin Weed
Synonym(s)
Flora of Virginia Name/Status
Silphium asteriscus L.
Comments
Taxonomic concepts and nomenclature here follow Clevinger (see Novon 14:275-277 (2004). Silphium asteriscus var. asteriscus has only been sparingly attributed to Virginia. Map incomplete; many Virginia specimens have not been determined to variety. However, recent field experience has shown that the characters defining the vars. of this species are often not well correlated, and that individual plants with differing characters (e.g., leaves whorled and leaves opposite) can occur in the same populations. Further study is warranted. Variety asteriscus is perhaps our most distinctive variety, a plant with hispid to scabrous leaves (opposite or alternate) that are relatively thick and toothed (rarely entire). The stems of var. asteriscus are also scabrous or hispid.
Habitat
As a whole, the species inhabits dry-mesic to dry (occasionally mesic) open forests, woodlands, barrens, riverside prairies, clearings, old fields, meadows, and road banks; it is especially common in base-rich soils. The species is frequent in the mountains and Piedmont, infrequent in the Coastal Plain. Specific habitats and distribution data for var. asteriscus are sketchy at present, but it appears to be much less common than var. trifoliatum.
Native Status
Native

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