Ionactis linariifolia
(Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster)
Ionactis linariifolia, Scrappin’ Valley, Newton Co. 3796
Ionactis linariifolia, Scrappin’ Valley, Newton Co. 3785
Ionactis linariifolia, Scrappin’ Valley, Newton Co. 3790
Ionactis linariifolia, Scrappin’ Valley, Newton Co. 3788
| Scientific Name | Ionactis linariifolia | USDA PLANTS Symbol | IOLI2 |
| Common Name | Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 780388 |
| Family | Asteraceae (Sunflower) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Sandy soils, often in seeps or other moist sites; commonly in longleaf pine communities along Gulf Coast. Plant: Perennial growing in tufts with several light green, tan, or reddish-brown stems 4 to 20 inches tall; upper portions with a few branches bearing flower heads. Leaves: Stiff and crowded along stem, alternate, appearing to be whorled, linear to narrowly oblong or oblanceolate about 1.2 inches long and less than 0.4-inch long in upper portion; surfaces are smooth. Inflorescence: Composite flower heads in loose clusters or sometimes single, on unbranched peduncles about 1/2 to 2 inches long long, each peduncle with small bracts up to 1/4-inch long resembling leaves; flowerheads 3/4 to 1-/4 inches across with 10 to 20 lavender to bluish rays and a similar number of bright yellow disk florets; involucre with greenish to nearly white appressed, linear-oblong phyllaries in 4 to 5 layers. Bloom period: September to November. Reference: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, Illinois Wildflowers and SEINet. |
BONAP Distribution Map Map Color Key |
Texas Status: Native |
Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County
© Tom Lebsack 2024