Cylindrical Blazing Star

Description:

This herbaceous perennial plant is 1–1½' tall and unbranched. The central stem is largely hairless, except for a few hairs near the inflorescence. The leaves are up to 8" long and 1/3" (8 mm.) across, becoming smaller and fewer as they ascend the stem. These leaves appear whorled because of their density, but they actually alternate around the stem. They are linear, sessile, and hairless, while their margins are smooth. A short spike-like raceme of compound flowers about 2-4" long occurs at the top of the stem. They are pink or purplish pink, and quite showy. A compound flower consists of about 15-25 tubular flowers that are crowded together into a head spanning about 1" across. Each flower has 5 small lobes that curl outward, while a divided style protrudes from the center. This style is white or pinkish white, and rather long and curly. Each compound flower is subtended by green bracts that form a smooth, cylindrical surface about 1½" long. The blooming period is mid- to late summer, and lasts about a month. There is no floral scent. The achenes later develop bristly hairs that aid in their dispersal. The root system consists of a corm, which may occasionally produce offsets.