Liatris garberi

Liatris garberi A. Gray

Common Names: Blazing Star, Garber’s Blazing Star

Family: Asteraceae

Habit: Liatris garberi is an herbaceous perennial up to 1m in height (usually less). Leaves arranged in a basal rosette with leaves on the flowering stalk arranged alternately and smaller, linear, to 20 cm in length and 1 cm wide, with an acute to obtuse leaf apex. The leaves become smaller along on the stem and closer to the inflorescence.

The flowers are in heads subtended by glandular phyllaries. The heads are arranged in spike/raceme.  There are up to 10 perfect (disc) flowers per head. The calyx that has been modified as a ring of small hairs (pappus).

The complete, perfect, actinomorphic (disc) flowers have a corolla with 5 fused, pink/purple petals.  There are 5 stamens fused at their base. The ovary is inferior with a single locule.  The fruit is a ridged, covered in bristles, achene at maturity.

Habitat: Liatris garberi grows in cut Pine Woodlands.

Distribution: Liatris garberi occurs on Grand Bahama and in Florida.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Liatris garberi is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.