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Hieracium aurantiacum L.

Common Name: ORANGE HAWKWEED, DEVIL'S-PAINTBRUSH
Coefficient of Conservatism: *
Coefficient of Wetness: 5
Wetness Index: UPL
Physiognomy: Ad P-Forb

Occurs almost everywhere: can be colorfully abundant along roadsides and in dry fields, but also invading logged areas, forests, shores, moist pastures, marshy ground, and cedar swamps. Apparently introduced from Europe as a garden ornamental in Vermont by 1875, and soon spread throughout northern New England and beyond. The first Michigan collection is from Alpena Co. in 1895, and it spread rapidly in that part of the state; there are also reports from Lenawee Co. in 1897 and Kent Co. in 1901, so the species may have been introduced ± simultaneously at more than one place in Michigan.

Hybrids with H. piloselloides occur occasionally where both parents are found and can be recognized by the intermediate shade of the ligules and/or by bicolored ligules (red apically, yellow basally). The bicolored aspect is, if anything, intensified in herbarium specimens several years after they were dried. Hybrids with ligule color closer to one of the parents are more likely to be keyed as that parent unless the collector has carefully described the situation on the label. Also, ligules of H. aurantiacum tend to be paler in plants growing in shade. Morphological characters are not very helpful in confirming hybrids. Specimens suspected of being hybrids are known from Alcona, Alger, Benzie, Cheboygan, Delta, Kalamazoo, Keweenaw, Lenawee, Luce, Mackinac, Schoolcraft, and Washtenaw Cos. A collection from Iosco Co. with bicolored ligules may be H. aurantiacum × H. caespitosum, with very broad, hairy, denticulate leaves.

C. Peirce

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Counties
Alcona
Alger
Allegan
Alpena
Antrim
Arenac
Baraga
Barry
Bay
Benzie
Berrien
Calhoun
Cass
Cass or Van Buren
Charlevoix
Cheboygan
Chippewa
Clare
Clinton
Crawford
Delta
Dickinson
Eaton
Emmet
Genesee
Gladwin
Gogebic
Grand Traverse
Gratiot
Hillsdale
Houghton
Ingham
Ionia
Iosco
Iron
Isabella
Jackson
Kalamazoo
Kalkaska
Kent
Keweenaw
Lake
Lapeer
Leelanau
Lenawee
Livingston
Luce
Mackinac
Macomb
Manistee
Marquette
Mason
Mecosta
Menominee
Midland
Missaukee
Monroe
Montcalm
Montmorency
Muskegon
Newaygo
Oakland
Oceana
Ogemaw
Ontonagon
Osceola
Oscoda
Otsego
Ottawa
Presque Isle
Roscommon
Saginaw
Sanilac
Schoolcraft
Shiawassee
St. Clair
St. Joseph
Van Buren
Washtenaw
Wayne

Citation:
MICHIGAN FLORA ONLINE. A. A. Reznicek, E. G. Voss, & B. S. Walters. February 2011. University of Michigan. Web. March, 17, 2025
https://lsa-miflora-p.lsait.lsa.umich.edu/#/record/363