Stokesia laevis explained

Stokesia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae, containing the single species Stokesia laevis. Common names include Stokes' aster and stokesia.[1] The species is native to the southeastern United States.

The flowers appear in the summer and are purple, blue, or white in nature.[2] The plant is cultivated as a garden flower. Several cultivars are available, including the cornflower blue 'Klaus Jelitto', 'Colorwheel', which is white, turning purple over time, and 'Blue Danube', which has a blue flower head with a white center.[3] More unusual cultivars include the pink-flowered 'Rosea' and yellow-flowered 'Mary Gregory'.[4]

Like a few other plants (such as some species of Vernonia), it contains vernolic acid, a vegetable oil with commercial applications.[5]

The genus is named after Jonathan Stokes (1755–1831), English botanist and physician.[2]

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=stokesia+laevis Stokesia laevis.
  2. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=131617 Stokesia L’Héritier.
  3. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/plant-finder/plant-details/kc/i900/stokesia-laevis.aspx Stokesia laevis.
  4. http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/stok_lae.cfm Stokesia laevis.
  5. Cahoon, E. B., et al. (2002). Transgenic production of epoxy fatty acids by expression of a cytochrome p450 enzyme from Euphorbia lagascae seed. Plant Physiology 128(2), 615-24.