Vernonia pulchella

Plants 4-7+ dm. Stems sparsely appressed-puberulent. Leaves mostly cauline; blades (mid stem) mostly oblanceolate to lance-linear, rarely ovate, 3-7 cm × (5-)10-20+ mm, l/w = (2.5-)3.5-6+ (bases rounded-truncate), abaxially scabrellous (hairs awl-shaped), resin-gland-dotted, adaxially scabrellous. Heads in ± corymbiform to paniculiform arrays. Peduncles 5-35 mm. Involucres ± campanulate, 6-11 × 5-9 mm. Phyllaries 40-50+ in 5-6 series, sparsely puberulent, margins arachno-ciliate, the outer subulate to filiform, 3-7 mm, inner lance-attenuate to filiform, 9-10+ mm, tips subulate to filiform. Florets 14-25(-30+). Cypselae 3-3.5 mm; pappi stramineous, outer scales 25-30, 0.6-1.1 mm, contrasting with 30+, 6-7+ mm inner bristles. 2n = 34.

Flowering Jul-Sep. Low, wet places in pine woods; 20-50 m; Ga., S.C.