Summary ⁷

Elephant's foot is a native plant which occurs in low woods and along streams. Valued for its late summer to fall bloom and large, attractive lower leaves. Bloom consists of many small flower heads which are arranged in compound inflorescences. Each individual flower head rests upon leafy bracts and contains 2-5, tubular, pale lavender disc florets. When in full bloom, an entire inflorescence may be mistaken for a large, single bloom. Although a member of the composite family, the flowers of elephant's foot are not daisy-like in appearance because each flower head contains only disc flowers. Similar in appearance and closely related to the ironweeds (Vernonia). Large lower leaves provide the inspiration for the common name of Elephant's foot.
(Source: Missouri Botanical Garden)

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Mary Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/38514062@N03/8256748448/
2. (c) Melissa McMasters, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/132545975@N04/19558113406/
3. (c) Melissa McMasters, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/132545975@N04/17202460495/
4. (c) brian hefele, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/brhefele/4945976847/
5. (c) Janet, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/janet_powell/1197335732/
6. (c) Fritz Flohr Reynolds, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/fritzflohrreynolds/7665607892/
7. (c) Melissa McMasters, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• eFloras.org
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• World Flora Online

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