purple rattlesnake root

(Nabalus racemosus)

Conservation Status
purple rattlesnake root
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Midwest

FACW - Facultative wetland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

FACW - Facultative wetland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

The stem is covered with a whitish, waxy bloom (glaucous). It is hairless below the inflorescence.

The basal leaves are present at flowering. The underside of the leaves below the inflorescence is hairless.

The involucre has 7 to 14 hairy inner bracts. The flower head has 9 to 29 ray florets. The ray florets are usually pink to lavender, sometimes white with a purplish-tinged base.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

14 to 67

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

Pink to lavender or white

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
 

Rough rattlesnake root (Nabalus asper) stem is hairy above the midpoint and is not glaucous). The flowers are cream-colored to pale yellow.

White rattlesnake root (Nabalus albus) involucre bracts are hairless.

 
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Moist. Prairies, meadows, streambanks.

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

August to October

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28.

 
  1/9/2014      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

 

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Asterales (sunflowers, bellflowers, fanflowers, and allies)  
 

Family

Asteraceae (sunflowers, daisies, asters, and allies)  
  Subfamily Cichorioideae (chicories, dandelions, and allies)  
  Tribe Cichorieae (lettuce, chicory, dandelion, and salsify)  
  Subtribe Crepidinae  
  Genus Nabalus (rattlesnake root)  
       
 

In 2010, based on their close relationship with lettuce (Lactuca sativa), 24 species in the genus Prenanthes were moved to the genus Nabalus.

 
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

 

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Prenanthes racemosa

Prenanthes racemosa ssp. multiflora

Prenanthes racemosa var. multiflora

Prenanthes racemosa var. pinnatifida

Prenanthes racemosa var. racemosa

Prenanthes racemosa ssp. racemosa

Prenanthes racemosa ssp. racemosa var. pinnatifida

Prenanthes racemosa ssp. racemosa var. racemosa

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

glaucous rattlesnake root

glaucous white-lettuce

purple rattlesnake root

purple rattlesnake-root

purple rattlesnakeroot

smooth rattlesnake root

smooth rattlesnakeroot

 
       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Bract

Modified leaf at the base of a flower stalk, flower cluster, or inflorescence.

 

Glaucous

Pale green or bluish gray due to a whitish, powdery or waxy film, as on a plum or a grape.

 

Involucre

A whorl of bracts beneath or surrounding a flower or flower cluster.

       
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Plant

  purple rattlesnake root   purple rattlesnake root
       
  purple rattlesnake root   purple rattlesnake root
       

Inflorescence

  purple rattlesnake root   purple rattlesnake root
       
  purple rattlesnake root   purple rattlesnake root
       

Flower

  purple rattlesnake root   purple rattlesnake root
       
  purple rattlesnake root   purple rattlesnake root
       

Buds

  purple rattlesnake root   purple rattlesnake root
       
  purple rattlesnake root   purple rattlesnake root
       

Leaves

  purple rattlesnake root   purple rattlesnake root
       
  purple rattlesnake root   purple rattlesnake root
       

Stem

  purple rattlesnake root   purple rattlesnake root
       
  purple rattlesnake root   purple rattlesnake root
       
       

 

Camera

     
 
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