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Elephantopus carolinianus Raeusch.
Carolina Elephantsfoot
Leafy Elephant's Foot
Florida native
This is the only species of elephantsfoot in Florida that does not usually have basal leaves present when flowering. E. carolinianus can be found in moist hammocks and floodplain forests from the panhandle down into central Florida. The range also includes all but the more northern states of the central and eastern US.
This species of Elephantopus usually lacks basal leaves while flowering. Growing from 30cm to about 1m (12 to 36 in.) tall with hairy, branching stems. The alternate stem leaves are broadly elliptic to obovate with crenate margins and are softly hairy underneath. Flowers lack rays, however the two to five pale-pink to lavender 5-lobed disk flowers arranged in a circle resemble rays. These flowers appear above three large leaf-like tri-angluar to ovate bracts.
Elephantopus carolinianus is a member of the Asteraceae - Aster family.
Other species of the Elephantopus genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Elephantopus elatus - TALL ELEPHANTSFOOT
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Feb 27, 2023
