Echinacea laevigata
| Smooth purple coneflower | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Tribe: | Heliantheae |
| Genus: | Echinacea |
| Species: | E. laevigata |
| Binomial name | |
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Echinacea laevigata (Boynton & Beadle) Blake 1929 |
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Echinacea laevigata, the smooth purple coneflower, is an Endangered Species Act federally listed endangered species of plant found in the piedmont of the eastern United States. Most populations are found on roadsides and other open areas with plenty of sunlight, often on calcium- and magnesium- rich soils.
Its current range is within the states of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and it was historically also found in Pennsylvania and Maryland. It has been rare as long as it has been known, but a number of human activities and associated processes have reduced its range further. Today there are about 100 occurrences, and many of these are in poor condition. The amount of appropriate habitat available for this plant has been greatly reduced and it continues to decline.
Echinacea laevigata is a rhizomatous perennial herb that resembles its close relative, the common echinacea (Echinacea purpurea). The two can be told apart by the leaves, which are cordate (heart-shaped) in the common species.E. laevigata grows up to about 1.5 meters (5 feet) in height with a mostly naked, smooth, leafless stem. Any leaves are roughly lance-shaped. On top of the stem is a flower head containing narrow pink or purplish ray florets up to 8 centimeters (3.2 inches) long. The florets droop away from the center of the head. The small, tubular disc florets in the center are dark purple. Blooming occurs in May through July. The plant is pollinated by a number of insects, including honeybee (Apis mellifera), bumblebees (Bombus spp.), the bees Psithyrus citrinus and Xylocopa virginica, a number of butterflies, and Lygaeus kalmii, a bug. The fruit is an achene about half a centimeter long which is likely dispersed by birds and small mammals that collect them for food. Some vegetative reproduction has been observed with more than one stem coming from a shared rhizome or aboveground rosette of leaves.
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Wikipedia