Vernonia texana (A. Gray) Small

Plants 4–8(–10+) dm. Stems puberulent, glabrescent. Leaves basal and cauline; blades ovate-lanceolate (basal) to narrowly lanceolate (distal), 5–12+ cm × (5–)12–25+ mm, l/w = 3–5 (basal) or 8–17 (distal), abaxially glabrate (pitted, awl-shaped hairs in pits), adaxially puberulent and/or scabrellous. Heads in open, paniculiform-scorpioid arrays. Peduncles 1–35 mm. Involucres ± obconic to hemispheric, 4.5–6 × 5–7 mm. Phyllaries 35–45+ in 5–6+ series, glabrescent, margins arachno-ciliolate, the outer lance-deltate, 1–32 mm, inner oblong to linear, 4–5(–6) mm, tips acute or rounded-apiculate. Florets 12–24+. Cypselae 2–3 mm; pappi usually whitish to stramineous (rarely purplish), outer scales or bristles 20+, 0.3–1+ mm, contrasting or intergrading with 20+, 6–7+ mm inner subulate scales or bristles. 2n = 34.

Vernonia angustifolia Michaux var. texana A. Gray in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 1(2): 91. 1884

Vernonia texana (A. Gray) Small, Fl. SE. U. S. 1160. 1903
Vernonia angustifoliayT. & G. Fl. N. Am. 2: 59. 1841.
Vernonia angnslifolia texana A. Gray, Syn. Fl. N. Am. I 2 : 91. 1884.
Vernonia graminifolia texana Trel.; Brann. & Cov. Rep. Geol. Surv. Ark. 1888 4 : 189. 1891.
Cacalia angustifolia texana Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 323. 1891.
Stems erect, simple to the inflorescence, 4-8 dm. tall, glabrous or minutely puberulent;
leaves firm, ascending, chiefly on the lower portion of the stem, the blades linear-lanceolate,
6-12 cm. long, 1-2 cm. wide, acute, sharply dentate with low salient teeth to nearly entire,
attenuate to a sessile base, scabrous above, puberulent, especially along the veins, and usually
pitted beneath; upper leaves much reduced, bractlike, linear to subulate; inflorescence 1-2 dm.
wide, open, bearing few 1 8-2 1 -flowered heads; involucre broadly campanulate, 5-6 mm.
high; scales irregularly imbricate, appressed or the upper slightly spreading, tinged with
purple, puberulent or glabrate, acute, the outer ovate, the inner oblong; achenes pubescent
on the ribs, resinous in the furrows, 2.5 mm. long; pappus tawny, the bristles 6-7 mm. long,
the scales narrowly linear, 0.8-0.9 mm. long.
Type locality: Texas.
Distribution: Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas.

Vernonia texana, commonly called Texas ironweed, is a species of flowering plant in the aster family (Asteraceae). It is native eastern to North America, where it is found primarily in the South Central region of the United States. Its natural habitat is in open sandy woodlands.

Vernonia texana is an erect herbaceous perennial. Its leaves are alternate and linear-lanceolate. It produces purple heads of flowers in the summer.