Identification of a Composite By Its Bracts

Frequently an Asteraceae (Composite) can be identified by the unique appearance of its bracts. (For flowers in the Asteraceae family, the bracts are more properly called phyllaries.) This post displays some of the images I've collected of Asteraceae bracts.

All flowers are native unless otherwise stated.

wm, June 12, 2015

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Blackeyed susan (Rudbekia hirta)

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Leavenworth's tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii)

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Beggarticks, Spanish needles (Bidens alba)

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Smallfruit beggarticks (Bidens mitis)

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Burrmarigold; smooth beggarticks (Bidens laevis)
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 Spanish needles (Bidens bipinnata)
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Southeastern sneezeweed (Helenium pinnatifidum)

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Southeastern sunflowers (Helianthus agrestis)

Leaf margins are ciliated near base.

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Coastalplain goldenaster (Chrysopsis scabrella)

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Woodland lettuce (Lactuca floridana)

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Rose-rush (Lygodesmia aphylla)

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Carolina desertchicory (Pyrrhopappus carolinianus)

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Thistleleaf aster (Eurybia eryngiifolia)

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Purple thistle (Cirsium horridulum)

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Nuttall's thistle (Cirsium nuttallii)

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Coastalplain honeycomb head; yellow buttons (Balduina angustifolia)

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Aster (Symphyotrichum spp.)

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Florida paintbrush, coastalplain chaffhead (Carphephorus corymbosus)

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Feay's palafox (Palafoxia feayi), Florida endemic

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 Coastalplain palafox (Palafoxia integrifolia)

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Scrubland goldenaster (Chrysopsis subulata), Florida endemic

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Narrowleaf silkgrass (Pityopsis graminifolia)

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Camphorweed (Heterotheca subaxillaris)
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Hairy chaffhead (Carphephorus paniculatus)

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Florida false sunflower (Phoebanthus grandiflorus), Florida endemic
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Pineland chaffhead (Carphephorus carnosus)
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Narrowleaf yellowtops (Flaveria linearis)
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Creeping oxeye (Sphagneticola trilobata), not native
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Florida greeneyes (Berlandiera subacaulis), Florida endemic
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Wooly sunbonnets; pineland daisy (Chaptalia tomentosa)
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Narrowleaf sunflower; swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius)

H. angustifolius and the following H. similans are distinguished by the width of their leaves: H. angustifolius leaves are 0.15 - 0.5 cm wide, H. simulans leaves are 0.7 - 4 cm wide.

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Muck sunflower (Helianthus similans), not native
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Groundsel tree; saltbush (Baccharis halimifolia)
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Slender flattop goldenrod (Euthamia caroliniana)
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Frostweed; white crownbeard (Verbesina virginica)
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Chapman's gayfeather; blazing star (Liatris chapmanii)
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Blazing star; dense gayfeather (Liatris spicata)
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Stiff sunflower; rayless sunflower (Helianthus radula)
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Dwarf Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis var. pusilla)
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Blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)
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