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- Eutrochium purpureum
Eutrochium purpureum — purple Joe-Pye weed
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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Facts
Purple Joe-Pye weed is a rather variable species and may hybridize with other species in the genus. The Cherokee used the ash of purple Joe-Pye weed roots as salt for flavoring foods, and the Ojibwa used a strong tea made of the root as a strengthening wash for infants.
Habitat
Forests, meadows and fields, woodlands
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- whorled: there are three or more leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has disk flowers only, and lacks the strap-shaped flowers
- Ray flower color
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 70–300 mm
- Disk flower number
-
- 1-5
- 6-10
-
Flowers
- Bract color
- the bracts are colored, or at least tinged with, pink, red or purple
- Bract cycle number
- there are three or more cycles of bracts
- Bract outer side hair type
-
- the bracts are hairy, with simple hairs on their outer surface
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surface
- Bract outer side hairs
-
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surfaces
- Bract shape
-
- the main bracts are lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
- the main bracts are ovate (egg-shaped)
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- Bract tip color
- the tips are the same color as the center of the bract
- Bract tip orientation
- the bracts are pressed against the plant, or spreading out at the tips
- Bract tip shape
- the tips of the bracts are obtuse (have a blunt point)
- Bracts
- there are at least two distinct forms of bracts in different cycles
- Disk flower color
-
- blue to purple
- pink to red
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower number
-
- 1-5
- 6-10
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
- Flower head number
- each flowering stem has four or more flower heads on it
- Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, the flowers have no enlarged lobe or strap, and are of similar size as those in the center of the disk
- Flower head platform
- the base has no bristles or papery scales
- Flower head platform surface
- NA
- Flower head position
- some or all the flower heads are grouped in clusters of two or more
- Flower head profile
-
- the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
- the disk is rounded across the top
- Flower head shape
-
- the sides of the flower head are roughly parallel, like a cylinder
- the sides of the flower head diverge like a funnel
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has disk flowers only, and lacks the strap-shaped flowers
- Height of flower head base
- 6.5–9 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
- Inflorescence shape
- the inflorescence is flat-topped in profile
- Inflorescence stem
- hairs are present on the stem of the inflorescence
- Number of bracts at flower head base
- 10–22
- Ovary cross-section
- the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
- Ovary hair type
- the ovary has no hairs on it
- Ovary hairs
- the ovary has no hairs on it
- Ovary lines or ribs
- there are four to six lines or ribs visible on the ovary
- Ovary surface
- the ovary surface has no points, bumps or wrinkles, though it may have lines, ribs or wings
- Peduncle hair type
-
- the hairs on the peduncles appear tangled or woolly
- the hairs on the peduncles have glands at their tips
- Peduncle hairs
- the peduncles are hairy
- Ray flower color
- NA
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Ray flowers
- NA
- Ray length
- 0 mm
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers on the plant contain both carpels and stamens
- Scale tip
- NA
- Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- NA
- Style branch number
- the style has two branches
- Style branches
- the style branch is narrow at the tip, or the style branches are narrow at the tips
- Width of flower head base
- 2.5–5 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
- 11 or more
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 3–4.5 mm
- Seed hair tuft color
-
- the pappus hairs are pale red to red-brown or purple
- the pappus hairs are white or off-white
- Seed hair tuft details
- the pappus hairs are hooked or barbed
- Seed hair tuft tips
- the pappus hairs are slender
- Seed hairs uniform
- all the pappus hairs are approximately the same length
- Seed tuft scale number
- 0
- Seed tuft type
- the pappus is made of very fine hairs or bristles
- Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
-
Glands or sap
- Bract resin
- the bracts have resin or resin glands
- Leaf blade glands
- the leaf blades have glandular (translucent) dots or scales
- Ovary glands
- there are glands on the ovary surface
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Plant lifespan
- the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
-
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
- there are only slender roots on the plant
-
Leaves
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
-
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
-
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
- whorled: there are three or more leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- the leaf has a distinct petiole
- the leaf has no petiole
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Leaf blade flatness
- the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
- Leaf blade hairs
-
- NA
- the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
- Leaf blade length
- 70–300 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is triangular, with the stalk or attachment point on one of the sides
- Leaf blade surface colors
- there is no noticeable color variation on the upper surface of the leaf
- Leaf blade tip
-
- the tip of the leaf blade is acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 25–180 mm
- Leaf disposition
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- Leaf stalk length
- 5–20 mm
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- forests
- meadows or fields
- woodlands
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem cross-section
- the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Stem bloom
- the stem has a powdery or waxy film on it that can be rubbed away
- Stem internode hair direction
- NA
- Stem internode hair type
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem internode hairs
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem wings
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
var. purpureum
- Massachusetts
- fairly widespread (S-rank: S4)
- Vermont
- rare to uncommon (S-rank: S2S3)
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Eutrochium fistulosum:
- stems usually anthocyanic throughout, though often green in deep shade and sometimes spotted when young, prominently glaucous, developing a large central cavity (vs. E. purpureum, with stems usually with anthocyanin concentrated in nodal bands 1–2 cm long, not or only scarcely glaucous, solid or developing a slender central cavity near the base).
Synonyms
- Cunigunda purpurea (L.) Lunell
- Eupatoriadelphus purpureus (L.) King & H.E. Robins.
- Eupatorium amoenum Pursh
- Eupatorium falcatum Michx.
- Eupatorium purpureum L.
- Eupatorium trifoliatum L.
- Eupatorium verticillatum Muhl. ex Willd.
Family
Genus
Notes on subspecies and varieties in New England
Our variety is Eutrochium purpureum (L.) E.E. Lamont var. purpureum.
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
4. Eutrochium purpureum (L.) E.E. Lamont var. purpureum N
purple Joe-Pye weed. Cunigunda purpurea (L.) Lunell; Eupatoriadelphus purpureus (L.) King & H.E. Robins.; Eupatorium amoenum Pursh; E. falcatum Michx.; E. purpureum L.; E. trifoliatum L.; E. verticillatum Muhl. ex Willd. • CT, MA, NH, RI, VT. Woodlands, forests, fields, pastures.