Elephantopus nudatus, common name smooth elephantsfoot, is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the southeastern United States from eastern Texas to Delaware.Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
Description Elephantopus nudatus is a perennial herb up to 110 cm (44 inches) tall. Leaves are oblanceolate to spatulate, up to 20 cm (8 inches) long, darker on the upper side than they are on the lower side.
The plant produces numerous small flower heads in a tight cluster, each head generally containing only 4-5 florets.Flora of North America, Elephantopus nudatus A. Gray, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts. 15: 47. 1880. Gray, Asa. 1879. Elephantopus nudatus A. Gray diagnosis in Latin, description and commentary in English It has been observed to flower from late July into September.Weakley, A.S. 2020. Flora of the Southeastern United States. Edition of 20 October 2020. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Etymology The genus name Elephantopus comes from the Greek words "elephantos" (elephant) and "pous" (foot). The term likely refers to the large basal leaves of some members of the genus.
Habitat E. nudatus is classified as a facultative species, meaning that it can be found in both wetland and non-wetland environments. Within its native range, this species is commonly found in dry woodlands and along woodland borders. It has also been observed in habitat types such as hammocks, longleaf pine-wiregrass savannas, mesic flatwoods, and floodplains.Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2014. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, D. B. Ward, Robert K. Godfrey, R. D. Houk, D. B. Ward, S. S. Ward, Jean W. Wooten, R. Kral, Almut G. Jones, R. A. Norris, R. Komarek, and Cecil R Slaughter. States and Counties: Florida: Baker, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, Santa Rosa, St Johns, Union, Wakulla, and Walton. Georgia: Grady and Thomas.
This species has been found to increase in foliage biomass as a response to disturbances such as fire or clearcutting.Conde, L. F., et al. (1983). "Plant species cover, frequency, and biomass: Early responses to clearcutting, burning, windrowing, discing, and bedding in Pinus elliottii flatwoods." Forest Ecology and Management 6: 319-331.
References
External links Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora Alabama Plant Atlas