Carolina Crownbeard

Verbesina virginica may be no longer present in Georgia and North Carolina.

Plants 100–400 cm (perennating bases ± erect, internodes winged, at least proximal). Leaves all or mostly alternate (proximal usually opposite); blades lance-elliptic to lanceolate or lance-linear, 10–20 × 2–7 cm, bases ± cuneate, margins coarsely toothed to subentire, apices acute, faces ± hirtellous. Heads 8–35+ in corymbiform to paniculiform arrays. Involucres ± saucerlike, 8–10 mm diam. Phyllaries 12–15+ in 1–2 series, ± spreading, oblanceolate to linear, 2–5+ mm. Ray florets 0. Disc florets 40–60+; corollas ochroleucous to white. Cypselae dark brown to blackish, obovate, 3–4.5+ mm, faces ± strigillose; pappi 1–2 mm (sometimes shorter scales between awns). 2n = 34.

Athanasia paniculata Walter, Fl. Carol., 201. 1788, not Verbesina paniculata Poiret 1808