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Southern Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

New York Ironweed
Vernonia noveboracensis (L.) Michx.

JPG -- Species Photo GIF -- Distribution Map

Family: Aster (Asteraceae)
Flowering: July-October
Field Marks: This species is easily distinguished from other Vernonias by the black or dark purple bristles that project from the flowering head.
Habitat: Stream banks, low woods, damp thickets, wet meadows.
Habit: Coarse perennial herb with thickened rootstocks.
Stems: Upright, stout, rough-hairy to nearly smooth, up to 9 feet tall.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, elliptic to narrowly lanceolate, pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, toothed, smooth or hairy on the upper surface, short-hairy on the lower surface, up to 10 inches long, up to 1 inch wide.
Flowers: 20-65 in a head, with several heads in terminal corymbs, each head up to 1/2 inch high, with numerous black or dark purple bristles protruding from the head.
Sepals: 0.
Petals: 5, purple, united to form a tube.
Stamens: 5.
Pistils: Ovary inferior.
Fruits: Achenes cylindrical, up to 1/6 inch long, with short, stiff hairs, with a purplish tuft of hairs at the tip.

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URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/floraso/species/8/vernnove.htm
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Page Last Modified: Thursday, 03-Aug-2006 11:39:25 EDT
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