Nabalus altissimus (L.) Hook.

Tall Rattlesnake Root

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Tall Rattlesnake Root is a native herbaceous perennial in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. It occurs in rich hardwood forests, in ravines, on bluffs, and on roadside banks. It is a perennial with a thick, knotty, tuberous taproot. The stems are erect, unbranched below the inflorescences, green or purplish in color, and glabrous or pubescent. Basal leaves are often present at flowering. They are petiolate, ovate or triangular in outline, palmately lobed or dissected, with entire or remotely toothed margins. The leaves are glabrous or with scattered hairs on the veins. Stem leaves are alternate, petiolate, ovate to lanceolate in outline, and otherwise similar to the basal leaves but smaller in size. Flowers are produced in heads. The heads are arranged in terminal panicles. Each head has 1-2 series of short basal bracts that are dark green in color (the calyculi-- a group of small bracts that resembles a calyx), and 5 long, pale green, linear bracts (the phyllaries). Each head has 5 pale yellow ray flowers. The fruit is an achene with reddish-tan pappus. The species was until recently known as Prenanthes altissima L.--A. Diamond

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Native

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