Vernonia blodgettii

Vernonia blodgettii Small

Common Names: Iron Weed

Family: Asteraceae

Habit: Vernonia blodgettii is a perennial herb up to 1 meter in height (usually less than 50 cm). Leaves arranged alternately, linear, to 12 cm in length and 1 cm wide, glabrous adaxially and glandular abaxially, with an entire margin often with glands, and mucronate leaf apex.

The complete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers are arranged in heads that are arranged in panicles. The heads are subtended by a series of involucral bracts. The calyx is modified as a ring of small projections (pappus).  The corolla with 5 fused, purple pink petals.  There are 5 stamens fused at their base. The ovary is inferior with a single locule and seed. The fruit is an achene at maturity that retains the modified calyx (pappus).

Habitat: Vernonia blodgettii grows in Pine Woodlands and along roadsides.

Distribution: Vernonia blodgettii occurs throughout in the northern islands (Abaco and Grand Bahama) of the Lucayan Archipelago and in Florida.

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