Stokesia laevis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Subfamily: | Cichorioideae |
Tribe: | Vernonieae |
Genus: |
Stokesia L'Hér. |
Species: | S. laevis
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Binomial name | |
Stokesia laevis (Hill) Greene
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Synonyms | |
Carthamus laevis [2] |
Stokesia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae, containing the single species Stokesia laevis. Common names include Stokes' aster and stokesia. [3] [1] The species is native to the southeastern United States.
The flowers appear in the summer and are purple, blue, or white in nature. [2] The plant is cultivated as a garden flower. Several cultivars are available, including the cornflower blue 'Klaus Jelitto', 'Colorwheel', which is white, turning purple over time, and 'Blue Danube', which has a blue flower head with a white center. [4] More unusual cultivars include the pink-flowered 'Rosea' and yellow-flowered 'Mary Gregory'. [5]
Like a few other plants (such as some species of Vernonia), it contains vernolic acid, a vegetable oil with commercial applications. [6]
The genus is named after Jonathan Stokes (1755–1831), English botanist and physician. [2]