Roadless Areas
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Silphium laciniatum

L.

Compass Plant

G5Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.134198
Element CodePDAST8L080
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusSilphium
Other Common Names
compassplant (EN) Silphe lacinié (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
Flora of North America (vol. 21, 2006c) and Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team (2025) do not recognize varieties in Silphium laciniatum (var. robinsonii and var. laciniatum) which were considered valid in some other treatments (Kartesz 1994).
Conservation Status
Review Date1984-03-16
Change Date1984-03-16
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species grows in prairies, limestone barrens, calcareous glade, and other open, typically disturbed sites (FNA 2006c, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
LouisianaSNRYes
ColoradoSHYes
MississippiSNRYes
IowaS4Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
KentuckyS2Yes
NebraskaSNRYes
TennesseeS2Yes
TexasSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
MichiganS1Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNANo
OhioS1Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
North DakotaSNRYes
New YorkSNANo
WisconsinSNRYes
KansasS5Yes
South DakotaS3Yes
CanadaN1
ProvinceRankNative
ManitobaSNANo
OntarioS1Yes
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (3)
Arkansas (3)
AreaForestAcres
Clifty CanyonOzark-St. Francis National Forest1,963
Little BlakelyOuachita National Forest3,342
Pedestal RocksOzark-St. Francis National Forest21,957
References (3)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006c. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 21. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 8: Asteraceae, part 3. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 616 pp.
  2. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  3. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).