Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Account for Maryland Hawkweed - Hieracium marianum   Willdenow
Members of Asteraceae:
Members of Hieracium with account distribution info or public map:
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Section 6 » Order Asterales » Family Asteraceae
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AuthorWilldenow
DistributionCoastal Plain, Sandhills, and southern Mountains; scattered in the Piedmont. Large gaps in the Piedmont and northern Mountains are curious and cannot be explained at this time. More curious is its apparent absence in VA! (both alleged parents are wide-ranging species in eastern U.S.).

NH to OH, south to FL and MS.
AbundanceFairly common to locally common in the southern and southwestern Coastal Plain, including the Sandhills. Generally rare to uncommon as a whole over the remainder of the state, being most frequent in the southern mountains.
HabitatDry woodlands, forest openings and margins, trailsides, clearings, roadsides, fields, pastures.
PhenologyFlowering and fruiting early May-July; reportedly later, but specimens need vetting.
IdentificationThe late spring-summer blooming period is a very helpful clue to identity. During most of this time period, only Rattlesnake Hawkweed (H. venosum) also blooms; our other Hieracium species begin in mid- to late July. Plants are 1-2 feet tall from a basal rosette of elliptical leaves. One to several, distinctly smaller, stem leaves grow on the lower half of the stem. Heads grow from short to long stalks, in an open inflorescence that may be broader than long or vice-versa. All florets are rays (no disk florets) and yellow. Rattlesnake Hawkweed has distinctly red to purple-brown veins on the leaves (vs. green veins or vaguely reddish). Beaked Hawkweed (H. gronovii) has many more stem leaves, reaching more than half way up the stem, and gradually reduced in size upwards; and its inflorescence is definitely longer than broad. Rough Hawkweed (H. scabrum) is similar to Beaked Hawkweed, but its inflorescence is broader than long and the stem and leaf hairs are coarser.
Taxonomic CommentsAuthors have disagreed as to the taxonomic status -- good species or of hybrid derivation, or dismissed. Parents are thought to be Rattlesnake Hawkweed and Beaked Hawkweed (or possibly Rough Hawkweed).

Other Common Name(s)None
State RankS4 [S5]
Global RankG5?
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B.A. SorrieWhispering Pines, yard weed, 26 May 2008. MoorePhoto_natural
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