Elephantopus tomentosus

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Elephantopus tomentosus
Elephantopustomentosus.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Elephantopus
Species:
E. tomentosus
Binomial name
Elephantopus tomentosus

Elephantopus tomentosus is a species of perennial flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. [1] It is native to the southeastern United States. It blooms from July to September. [1]

Contents

Common names include mammoth's foot, woolly elephant's foot, and devil's grandmother. [2]

Description

E. tomentosus reaches a height of about 2 feet (approximately 0.6 meters). [3] It leaves are obovate to oblanceolate in shape, ranging from 3 to 8 centimeters in length and 4 to 12 millimeters in width. [4] When it flowers, from August to November, inflorescence is most commonly pale pink or purple. Blooms are rarely white. [3]

Distribution and habitat

This species is native to the southeastern United States' coastal plain, its range stretching from Maryland to Florida and westward to Texas and Arkansas. It is also native in areas south of the United States, to Chiapas, Mexico. [5]

E. tomentosus is commonly found in woodlands and along woodland borders. [5] Individuals have also been observed in habitats such as mixed woodlands, upland pine woodlands, and along the edges of rivers. [6] It is considered to be a facultative species. [7]

Fire Ecology

This species has been observed to increase significantly within areas that have experienced prescribed fire. [8] It has been found that E. tomentosus occurs in its highest frequency after spring and winter prescribed burns. [9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Justice, William S.; Bell, C. Ritchie; Lindsey, Anne H. (2005). Wild Flowers of North Carolina (2. printing. ed.). Chapel Hill, NC: Univ. of North Carolina Press. p. 255. ISBN   0807855979.
  2. ↑ Georgia, Ada E. (1914). A Manual Of Weeds. The Macmillan Company.
  3. 1 2 "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org. Retrieved 2025-08-28.
  4. ↑ "Elephantopus tomentosus in Flora of North America @ efloras.org". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 2025-08-28.
  5. 1 2 Weakley, A.S. 2020. Flora of the Southeastern United States. Edition of 20 October 2020. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
  6. ↑ Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2014. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, James R. Burkhalter, Robert K. Godfrey, Angus Gholson, Wilson Baker, Paul L. Redfearn, Jr., Richard S. Mitchell, John C. Ogden, Cecil R Slaughter, R. Komarek, R. A. Norris, and J. M. Kane. States and Counties: Florida: Alachua, Calhoun, Escambia, Gadsden, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, and Walton. Georgia: Thomas.
  7. ↑ "USDA Plants Database". plants.usda.gov. Retrieved 2025-08-28.
  8. ↑ Moore, W. H., et al. (1982). "Vegetative response to prescribed fire in a north Florida flatwoods forest." Journal of Range Management 35: 386-389.
  9. ↑ Kush, J. S., et al. (2000). "Understory plant community response to season of burn in natural longleaf pine forests". Proceedings 21st Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference. Fire and forest ecology: innovative silviculture & vegetation management, Tallahassee, FL, Tall Timbers Research, Inc.
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