Nabalus roanensis

Nabalus roanensis
Nabalus roanensis in bloom
Vulnerable
Vulnerable (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Nabalus
Species:
N. roanensis
Binomial name
Nabalus roanensis
Chickering
Synonyms
  • Prenanthes roanensis (Chick.) Chick.
  • Prenanthes cylindrica (Small) E.L.Braun
  • Nabalus cylindricus Small

Nabalus roanensis, also known as the Roan Mountain rattlesnake-root, is a species of perennial herb in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). It is endemic to high elevation forests and balds in the southern Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Taxonomy & taxonomic history

The specific epithet "roanensis" refers to Roan Mountain, on the summit of which the species was reported growing along the clefts of precipices in John White Chickering's original description of the species in 1880. A year later in 1881, following a merging of the genus Nabalus into the genus Pronanthes, Chickering changed the name to Pronanthes roanensis.

A 1984 study concluded that Prenanthes cylindrica should be treated as a synonym of Prenanthes roanensis. In 2011, P. roanensis was transferred back into Nabalus alongside all other North American Prenanthes following molecular phylogenetics and morphological studies supporting the separation of the two genera. A 2015 molecular study suggests that N. cylindricus (P. cylindrica) may warrant species status, pending further analysis.

Description

The species grows to about five feet tall and flowers from August through September. It can be distinguished from related members in the genus by its combination of pubescent phyllaries, cylindric inflorescences, short branches, and pubescent stem.

Conservation

NatureServe ranks Prenanthes roanensis (outdated synonym of Nabalus roanensis) as globally vulnerable (G3), mentioning that the species is rare across its range.

References

  1. 1 2 NatureServe
  2. 1 2 "Flora of the Southeastern United States". Flora of the Southeastern United States. University of North Carolina Herbarium, North Carolina Botanical Garden. Retrieved 2026-11-05.
  3. ↑ Chickering, John W. (1880). "Nabalus Roanensis, N. Sp". Botanical Gazette. 5 (12): 155. doi:10.1086/325416.
  4. ↑ Chickering, John W. (1881). "Prenanthes (Nabalus) Roanensis". Botanical Gazette. 6 (3): 191.
  5. ↑ Fusiak, Frank; Schilling, Edward E. (1984). "Systematics of the Prenanthes roanensis Complex (Asteraceae: Lactuceae)". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 111 (3): 338–348. doi:10.2307/2995915.
  6. ↑ Weakley, Alan S.; LeBlond, Richard J.; Sorrie, Bruce A.; Witsell, C. Theo; Estes, L. Dwayne; Gandhi, Kanchi; Mathews, Katherine Gould; Ebihara, Atsushi (2011). "New combinations, rank changes, and nomenclatural and taxonomic comments in the vascular flora of the southeastern United States" (PDF). Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. 5 (2): 437–455. Retrieved 2026-11-05.
  7. ↑ Schilling, Edward E.; Floden, Aaron; Schilling, Daniel E. (2015). "Barcoding the Asteraceae of Tennessee, Tribe Cichorieae" (PDF). Phytoneuron. 2015 (19): 1–8. Retrieved 2026-11-05.
  8. ↑ "Native Plant Database – Plant Detail". Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved 2026-11-05.
  9. ↑ "Flora of the Southeastern United States – Identification Key". Flora of the Southeastern United States. University of North Carolina Herbarium, North Carolina Botanical Garden. Retrieved 2026-11-05.