| Barbara's buttons | |
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| Marshallia trinervia | |
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| Genus: | Marshallia |
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Marshallia is a genus of plants in the sunflower tribe within the daisy family. [3] [4] Marshallia is native to the southeastern and south-central United States. [5] A common name applied to most species in the genus is Barbara's buttons.
Marshallia is found in open habitats, such as roadsides, bogs, or open woodlands dominated by pines. Several species are associated with wetlands. [6]
The typical blooming period is late spring (May) and early summer (June or early July). The small white-to-pinkish flowers occur in large, compact, spherical heads Marshallia are very attractive to pollinating insects, including butterflies and various beetles, such as flower chafers of the genus Euphoria . [7]
One species in the genus, Marshallia grandiflora (Appalachian Barbara's buttons) is extinct, having been wiped out in the early 20th century. It was formerly considered conspecific with Marshallia pulchra (Beautiful Barbara's buttons or Monongahela Barbara's buttons), which is endangered in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee, and has been extirpated in Maryland. That species is found in bogs and scoured riverbanks, and requires periodic flooding to maintain open habitat. [16] Marshallia obovata (Spoonshape Barbara's buttons or Piedmont Barbara's buttons), is listed as endangered in Florida and threatened in Tennessee. [17]
The genus name was given by the botanist Schreber (in Genera Plantarum, 1791) to honor the Marshall family, uncle Humphry and nephew Moses, of Pennsylvania. They were botanists of the American colonial period, and cousins of the famous botanists and explorers John and William Bartram.
The origin of the common name "Barbara's buttons" is unknown. The flower heads do resemble buttons, but botanical references giving this name do not quote the Barbara which the name honors (Rickett 1975). The reference is possibly to Saint Barbara, though the association is obscure. Saint Barbara had long hair, and is also associated with lightning—perhaps the individual flowers resemble lightning bolts, or the whole head of flowers resembles Saint Barbara's long locks (Coin 2005). This common name was not, at any rate, widespread in the 19th century. It was not used in Southern Wildflowers and Trees (1901) or Plant Life Of Alabama (1901). The botanist B.W. Wells, in Natural Gardens of North Carolina (1932), called the plants "loudspeakers", referring to the megaphone shape of the individual flowers. The first printed use of the name "Barbara's buttons" is in Small's Manual of the Southeastern Flora (1933).
Silphium is a genus of North American plants in the sunflower tribe within the daisy family.
Rudbeckia is a plant genus in the Asteraceae or composite family. Rudbeckia flowers feature a prominent, raised central disc in black, brown shades of green, and in-between tones, giving rise to their familiar common names of coneflowers and black-eyed-susans. All are native to North America, and many species are cultivated in gardens for their showy yellow or gold flower heads that bloom in mid to late summer.
Liatris is a genus of flowering plants in the boneset tribe within the sunflower family native to North America. Its most common name is blazing star. Some species are used as ornamental plants, sometimes in flower bouquets.
Hydrangea arborescens, commonly known as smooth hydrangea, wild hydrangea, sevenbark, or in some cases, sheep flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae. It is a small- to medium-sized, deciduous shrub up to 3 m (10 ft) tall that is native to the eastern United States.
Uvularia grandiflora, the large-flowered bellwort or merrybells, is a species of flowering plant in the family Colchicaceae, native to eastern and central North America.
Marshallia mohrii is a perennial herb species, endemic to the Southeastern United States, in several locations in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. The first recorded discovery of the species was in 1882 by Dr. Charles Mohr, hence the botanical species name and common name.
Packera anonyma, called Appalachian ragwort and Small's ragwort, is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae.
Brodiaea coronaria is the type species of Brodiaea and also known by the common names harvest brodiaea and crown brodiaea. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to northern California, where it grows in mountains and grasslands.
Ampelaster is a North American genus of flowering plants in the daisy family.
Sericocarpus is a genus of North American plants in the aster tribe within the sunflower family. Whitetop aster is a common name for the genus.
Lygodesmia, called skeletonplant, is a genus of North American flowering plants in the dandelion tribe within the sunflower family.
Pityopsis is a genus of North American plants in the aster tribe within the sunflower family. Species of Pityopsis are known by the common names silkgrass or golden asters or grass-leaved goldenasters.
Marshallia grandiflora, the Appalachian Barbara's buttons, is an extinct species of flowering plant in the genus Marshallia within the sunflower family. It was endemic to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in the Eastern United States, in Henderson and Polk counties. It was found primarily along gravelly and sandy bars along high-gradient rivers, and was presumably wiped out due to changes in this restricted habitat. It was last sighted in 1919.
Polypremum is a flowering plant genus in the family Tetrachondraceae. The genus contains the single species Polypremum procumbens, commonly known as juniperleaf or rustweed. Polypremum has also been placed in the various families Buddlejaceae, Loganiaceae, Rubiaceae, and most recently in its own Polypremaceae.
Polygala nana, commonly known as candyroot or low bachelors' buttons, is a small herbaceous plant native to the southeastern United States. The root has a sweet liquorice flavor when it is chewed, but it is usually hidden underground until the plant flowers. The seeds of candyroot are dispersed by ants.
Oxypolis rigidior, known as cowbane, common water dropwort, stiff cowbane, or pig-potato, is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family native to eastern North America. It is a perennial wildflower found in wet habitats. Oxypolis rigidior is poisonous to mammals.
Potentilla simplex, also known as common cinquefoil or old-field five-fingers or oldfield cinquefoil, is a perennial herb in the Rosaceae (rose) family native to eastern North America from Ontario, Quebec, and Labrador south to Texas, Alabama, and panhandle Florida.
Aureolaria pedicularia, the fernleaf yellow false foxglove, fern-leaved false foxglove, or fernleaf false foxglove, is a parasitic plant of the family Orobanchaceae. Aureolaria pedicularia is native to parts of the eastern US, the Midwest, and adjacent Canada. This plant is known for its distinct leaf shape and overall plant size. The common names for Aureolaria pedicularia come from its fern-like leaves.
Marshallia graminifolia is a perennial herb species, endemic to the coastal plains of the Southern United States, where it often grows in bogs and in sunny locations. Like all species in the genus Marshallia, it has the common name Barbara's buttons, and is specifically known as grassleaf Barbara's buttons.
Marshallia obovata, also known as spoonshape Barbara's buttons and Piedmont Barbara's buttons is a flowering plant species in the Aster family. It is endemic to the Southern United States, especially in the state of North Carolina.
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