About Hartwrightia floridana A.Gray ex S.Watson
Hartwrightia is a genus of North American flowering plants in the tribe Eupatorieae of the family Asteraceae. This genus contains only one species: Hartwrightia floridana A.Gray ex S.Watson, native to the US states of Georgia and Florida. This species is commonly known as Florida hartwrightia. While it looks similar to some species in the genus Eupatorium on the surface, it can be distinguished by three key traits: a basal rosette of leaves, differently shaped flowers, and fruit that lacks the parachute-like pappus found in Eupatorium. Hartwrightia floridana grows to around one meter tall. It flowers in the fall, and its flowers range in color from white to pink or blue. The genus is named for Samuel Hart Wright, a plant collector who lived from 1825 to 1905. Hartwrightia floridana is a herbaceous perennial plant that grows in the southeastern United States, specifically in Georgia and Florida. It grows in open areas such as pine flatlands, and cannot tolerate grazing or closed, solid forest cover. It tends to grow better when regular fires occur. This species requires wet soil, and is sensitive to changes in hydrology. It is classified as threatened, with habitat loss as its largest threat. Its seed is a sticky achene that does not have the large pappus that would allow wind dispersal, so seeds are presumed to be dispersed by animals.
