August EcoQuest: Looking for Liatris
Liatris punctata, or dotted blazing star, lights up the prairie in August with their feathery, purple plumes. This species belongs to the sunflower family, Asteraceae. In this family, what appears as a single flower is actually composed of many smaller flowers in the larger ‘flowerhead’. While many species in the Asteraceae family, like sunflowers and daisies, feature both ray and disk flowers in their flowerheads, Liatris showcases only disk flowers, giving the flowerheads a distinct, feathery look.
The star-shaped flowerheads are packed onto spike-like clusters with pink to purple disk flowers. Bracts, the small leaf-like structures below the flowerheads, are pressed flat against the flowerhead. A single plant may have multiple flower spikes, each blooming from top to bottom. The leaves are narrow, upward pointing, with short white hairs along the leaf edges. Covered in resin dots, the leaves give Liatris punctata their name— ‘punctata’ means ‘dotted.’ This plant thrives in grasslands and meadows, especially in the Front Range and eastern plains and is drought-tolerant due to their deep, penetrating taproot. In Colorado, there are only three other Liatris species and only L. punctata is commonly found. Bracts are important characters in Liatris, so if you're unsure, pay close attention to this feature.
Liatris punctata is known for having many medicinal uses. Pulverized roots have been used to improve appetite, and boiled roots for managing swelling. Tea from the plant has been used for stomachaches, as well as bladder and kidney problems. This species’ drought tolerance and attractiveness to pollinators, especially butterflies and native bees, make them a popular choice for native plant gardens.
Look for these feathery plumes this August and share your photos on iNaturalist to contribute to our understanding of this beautiful species.
