page_title: Vernonia
section_title: Species
hierarchical_section_title: Vernonia / Species
caption_attribution_description: English: Vernonia altissima (Ironweed), Madison County, NC, USA
context_page_description: Vernonia is a genus of about 1000 species of forbs and shrubs in the family Asteraceae. Some species are known as ironweed. Some species are edible and of economic value. They are known for having intense purple flowers. The genus is named for the English botanist William Vernon. There are numerous distinct subgenera and subsections in this genus. This has led some botanists to divide this large genus into several distinct genera. For instance, the Flora of North America recognizes only about twenty species in Vernonia sensu stricto, seventeen of which are in North America north of Mexico, with the others being found in South America.
context_section_description: Species of this genus are found in South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and North America. Vernonia species are well known for hybridizing between similar species in areas of overlapping ranges. There are approximately 1000 species of Vernonia. A list of some species is given below.
caption: Ironweed, Vernonia altissima
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