Vernonia angustifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the southeastern United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina). It was first described by André Michaux in 1803.
Within the United States' Coastal Plain region, this species has been observed in habitats such as longleaf pine savannas, second growth hardwood systems, slash pine-wiregrass flats, and cabbage palm hammocks.Birkhead, R. D., C. Guyer, et al. (2005). "Patterns of folivory and seed ingestion by gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in a southeastern pine savanna." American Midland Naturalist 154: 143-151.Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: July 2015. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, Robert K. Godfrey, Nancy E. Jordan, R. Kral, K. Craddock Burks, Andre F. Clewell, P. L. Redfearn, Samuel B. Jones, Richard S. Mitchell, John C. Ogden, H. E. Grelen, James D. Ray, Jr., Gwynn W. Ramsey, E. S. Ford, C. Jackson, Robert L. Lazor, John D. Lazor, Gary R. Knight, Rodie White, R. A. Norris, R. Komarek, M. Davis, MacClendons, G. Wilder, Cecil R Slaughter. States and Counties: Florida: Bay, Calhoun, Citrus, Columbia, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Hernando, Highlands, Jackson, Lake, Leon, Liberty, Martin, Nassau, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Seminole, Suwannee, Taylor, Wakulla, Washington. Georgia: Baker, Coffee, Grady, Thomas.
Ecology
Vernonia angustifolia is insect pollinated and is recorded to have been visited in northern Florida by Lasioglossum reticulatum, Megachile albitarsis, Megachile georgica’', Megachile inimica, Megachile mendica, Megachile petulans, Megachile texana, Melissodes comptoides, and Svastra atripes.Ulyshen, M. D., K. Robertson, S. Horn, and C. Dixon. 2024. Characterization of the bee community and pollination network in a southeastern U.S. pine savanna. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 12:1403602.
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