Plants 15–85 cm. Corms globose to depressed-globose or elongate, sometimes becoming simple or branched rhizomes. Stems glabrous. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, linear, 50–140 × 1–7 mm, gradually or little reduced distally, essentially glabrous or sparsely piloso-hirsutulous, glanddotted (margins sometimes ciliate). Heads in dense to loose, spiciform arrays. Involucres campanulate-cylindric, 7–15 × (4–) 5–7 mm. Peduncles 0 or very rarely 1–2 mm. Phyllaries in 3–6 series, mostly oblong-obovate, unequal, essentially glabrous, margins without hyaline borders, sometimes ciliate, apices acute, acute-acuminate, obtuse, rounded, or rounded-truncate (often with indurate apicula or mucros, lateral-veins usually not evident beyond middle or at least on distal 1/3). Florets 3–8; corolla-tubes glabrous inside. Cypselae (5.5–) 6–8.5 mm; pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles plumose.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Alta., Man., Sask., Ark., Colo., Ill., Iowa, Kans., La., Mich., Minn., Mo., Mont., N.Dak., N.Mex., Nebr., Ohio, Okla., S.Dak., Tex., Wis., Wyo., n Mexico

Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Liatris punctata var. mexicana, Liatris punctata var. mucronata, Liatris punctata var. punctata

Key

1	Corms globose to depressed-globose; involucres 7–9(–12) mm; phyllaries in (4–)5–6 series; florets (3–)4–5(–6)	Liatris punctata var. mucronata
1	Corms elongate or becoming rhizomes; involucres 10–14 mm; phyllaries in 4(–5) series; florets 4–8	> 2
2	Heads in dense, spiciform arrays (closely spaced, stems usually obscured by heads)	Liatris punctata var. punctata
2	Heads in loose, spiciform arrays (widely spaced, stems evident)	Liatris punctata var. mexicana

"plumose" is not a number."fine" is not a number.