Vernonia angustifolia Michaux var. texana A. Gray in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 1(2): 91. 1884

Plants 4–8(–10+) dm. Stems puberulent, glabrescent. Leaves basal and cauline; blades ovate-lanceolate (basal) to narrowly lanceolate (distal), 5–12+ cm × (5–)12–25+ mm, l/w = 3–5 (basal) or 8–17 (distal), abaxially glabrate (pitted, awl-shaped hairs in pits), adaxially puberulent and/or scabrellous. Heads in open, paniculiform-scorpioid arrays. Peduncles 1–35 mm. Involucres ± obconic to hemispheric, 4.5–6 × 5–7 mm. Phyllaries 35–45+ in 5–6+ series, glabrescent, margins arachno-ciliolate, the outer lance-deltate, 1–32 mm, inner oblong to linear, 4–5(–6) mm, tips acute or rounded-apiculate. Florets 12–24+. Cypselae 2–3 mm; pappi usually whitish to stramineous (rarely purplish), outer scales or bristles 20+, 0.3–1+ mm, contrasting or intergrading with 20+, 6–7+ mm inner subulate scales or bristles. 2n = 34.

Flowering Jun–Aug. Pinelands, scrub oak woodlands, sandy or sandy-clay soils; 60–200 m; Ark., La., Miss., Okla., Tex.