| Author | L. | |
| Distribution | Southern and far eastern Piedmont, Sandhills, and southern low Mountains. This species occurs sporadically on the landscape, with much apparently suitable habitat between populations.
Southeastern VA and TN, south to central FL and MS. | |
| Abundance | Seemingly declining, and now mostly rare everywhere, but very locally uncommon in the Sandhills; very rare in the eastern Piedmont. Clearly is now strongly declining in the Piedmont and Mountains. Can be quite numerous at a few Sandhills sites, but most populations are very small. Likely has disappeared from many or most Piedmont/Mountain counties. This is a Watch List species, with a State Rank of S2S3. | |
| Habitat | Mesic to dry deciduous (oak-hickory) and pine-deciduous woodlands, mainly along the borders and in openings; Longleaf Pine-Wiregrass uplands (in loamy sands). Responds rather well to fire. Reasons for its extreme local populations are not clear, but declines outside the Sandhills probably relate to fire suppression in these areas, as few if any such sites are on managed/protected lands. | |
| Phenology | Flowering and fruiting April - early July. | |
| Identification | Pineland Squarehead is unlike any other member of the aster family. The plant is low-growing (1-2 feet), has a few to several pairs of broadly elliptical, mostly sessile, toothed leaves, and topped by a single head on a branch (there may be two or three such branches on a plant). The head has four broadly ovate green bracts ("tetragonotheca", or 4-angled container) supporting a large, greenish brown disk and about 10 broad yellow rays. Such a flower has a spread of often 3-4 inches, huge for a composite species. Sadly, this wonderful and unique species is hard to find in NC, even in the Sandhills, but once seen it is never forgotten, especially in bloom. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | None
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| Other Common Name(s) | Pineland Nerveray, Squarehead, Pineland-ginseng | |
| State Rank | S2S3 | |
| Global Rank | G5 | |
| State Status | W1 | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | | |
| USACE-emp | | |
