Liatris elegans

Family:ASTERACEAE
Species:Liatris elegans (Walter) Michx.
Common Name:Elegant Blazing Star; Pink Scale Gayfeather
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Herb
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:LIEL
Plant Notes:Elegant Gayfeather is a native herbaceous perennial in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It can be found in the southern half of Alabama. Elegant Gayfeather occurs in dry or mesic pine forests, dry scrub oak woods, in sand hills, on roadside banks, and on dunes. It is a perennial from a corm. Stems are 1-3 feet in length, erect, unbranched (unless damaged), and pubescent. Leaves are basal and cauline. The basal leaves are larger than the stem leaves and may not be present at flowering. Leaves are alternate, lanceolate to oblanceolate in outline, glabrous or pubescent, and gland dotted. The middle and upper stem leaves are often deflexed. Flowers are produced in heads. Heads are arranged in dense spike-like arrays at the top of the plant. The heads are short peduncled or sessile. The phyllaries are enlarged, petal-like, and white to pink or lavender in color. Each head contains 4-5 white funnelform flowers. The fruit is an achene with plumose pappus bristles. Elegant Gayfeather is an interesting member of the genus in that the phyllaries are showier than the actual flowers. It is easily cultivated in a dry, sandy, sunny spot. It is available from some nurseries as either corms (usually called bulbs) or as seed. Plants generally flower in the second year from seed. Two varieties are reported from Alabama, but many of our plants appear intermediate in characteristics. Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux var. elegans is the most common variety. It has corms that are depressed-globose and phyllaries that are pink to lavender in color. Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux var. kralii Mayfield has corms that are elongate and tapering, and phyllaries that are light yellow or cream, sometimes fading to pale lavender or rose.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Native
References:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyASTERACEAE - Aster family
Genus Liatris
Species Liatris elegans (Walter) Michx. - Elegant Blazing Star; Pink Scale Gayfeather

Citation

Citation Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 91. 1803.
Basionym: Staehelina elegans Walter 1788.
Type: USA: SOUTH CAROLINA: Berkeley Co.: Halfway Creek road, WNW of McClellanville, Francis Marion National Forest, 25 Sep 2000, Boufford & Shi 30292 (neotype: GH). Neotypified by D.B. Ward, J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 2: 483. 2008.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Calostelma elegans Calostelma elegans (Walter) D. Don, in Sweet, Brit. Fl. Gard., ser. 2. pl. 184. 1833.Stahelina elegans Walter 1788. 
Eupatorium speciosum Eupatorium speciosum Ventenat, Descr. Pl. Nouv. t. 79. 1802, nom. illegit.Serratula speciosa Aiton 1789, nom. illegit.; Staehelina elegans Walter 1788. 
Lacinaria flabellata Lacinaria flabellata Small, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 25: 472. 1898. SOUTH CAROLINA: Beaufort Co.: St. Helena Island, Sep 1894, Cuthbert s.n. (holotype: NY; isotype: US).
Lacinaria elegans Lacinaria elegans (Walter) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 349. 1891.Staehelina elegans Walter 1788. 
Liatris elegans var. flabellata Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux, var. flabellata (Small) Gaiser, Rhodora 48: 345. 1946.Lacinaria flabellata Small 1898. 
Liatris elegans var. typica Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux, var. typica Gaiser, Rhodora 48: 341. 1946, nom. inadmiss.Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux 1803; Staehelina elegans Walter 1788. 
Liatris flabellata Liatris flabellata (Small) K. Schumann, Bot. Jahresber. (Just) 26(1): 378. 1900.Lacinaria flabellata Small 1898. 
Liatris radians Liatris radians Bertoloni, Novi Comment. Acad. Sci. Bononiensis 8: 75, pl. 8. 1846. ALABAMA: Without data, Gates s.n. (holotype: ?; isotypes: GH, NY).
Liatris elegans var. kralii Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux, var. kralii Mayfield, Sida 20: 601. 2002. ALABAMA: Lee Co.: 6 mi. S of Auburn, 22 Sep 1899, Earle & Earle 94 (holotype: KSC; isotypes: F, GH, ND, NY, US).
Serratula speciosa Serratula speciosa Aiton, Hort. Kew. 3: 138. 1789, nom. illegit.Staehelina elegans Walter 1788. 
Staehelina elegans Staehelina elegans Walter, Fl. Carol. 202. 1788. SOUTH CAROLINA: Berkeley Co.: Halfway Creek road, WNW of McClellanville, Francis Marion National Forest, 25 Sep 2000, Boufford & Shi 30292 (neotype: GH). Neotypified by D. B. Ward, J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 2: 483. 2008.

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Clarke, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Lowndes, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Washington, Wilcox

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AMAL, AUA, JSU, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1874 - 1982

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.
Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used
Image
JSU116726 Crenshaw 11 Oct 1970 Kral, Robert
41613
JSU
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005507 Lee 3 Oct 1951 Orr, William P.
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005511 Pike 13 Sep 1987 Diamond, Alvin R.
3626
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000043165 Escambia 17 Sep 2015 Diamond, Alvin R.
26832
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005512 Pike 9 Sep 2004 Hansen, Curtis J.
1654
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AMAL00017490 Covington 17 Sep 2005 Diamond, Alvin R.
15767
AMAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005508 Lee 17 Oct 1969 Kral, Robert
37879
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002473 Pike 11 Nov 1999 Hall, James A.
31
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005510 Mobile 1 Oct 1973 Taylor, John
15276
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002455 Butler 14 Oct 1978 Kral, Robert
63042
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UNA00055486 Conecuh 22 Sep 2001 Diamond, Alvin R.
12675
UNA
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005376 Covington 21 Oct 1973 Stevens, A.
185
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000040264 Dallas 03 Sep 2012 Keener, Brian R.
7510
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UWAL0002153 Bullock 11 Oct 2009 Diamond, Alvin R.
21043
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UWAL0010521 Conecuh 13 Oct 2011 Diamond, Alvin R.
22633
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
TROY000035945 Monroe 29 Sep 2012 Diamond, Alvin R.
23451
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UNA00056296 Henry 25 Oct 1998 MacDonald, John R.
12383
UNA
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005363 Bullock 25 Sep 1987 Diamond, Alvin R.
3641
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000034111 Covington 18 Oct 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5658
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UWAL0002966 Covington 18 Oct 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5658
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000015352 Sumter 12 Sep 2004 Spaulding, Daniel D.
12170
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005364 Bullock 28 Jul 1989 Diamond, Alvin R.
6443
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UWAL0015908 Pike 24 Sep 2012 Diamond, Alvin R.
23437
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
TROY000002461 Conecuh 22 Sep 2001 Diamond, Alvin R.
12675
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AMAL00010768 Barbour 12 Oct 1978 Kral, Robert
62036
AMAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005367 Coffee 6 Oct 1989 Diamond, Alvin R.
6461
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UWAL0031049 Escambia 17 Sep 2015 Diamond, Alvin R.
26832
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
TROY000002467 Dale 02 Oct 1997 Rundell, Hannelore
422
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
TROY000002464 Crenshaw 01 Nov 2003 Cho, Y.Y.
2
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UNA00048045 Autauga 07 Sep 1982 Gunn, Scott C.
1211
UNA
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005369 Coffee 17 Sep 1988 Diamond, Alvin R.
5492
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UNA00048048 Mobile 20 Oct 1896 Mohr, Charles
s.n.
UNA
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005385 Henry 23 Oct 1973 Bostick, J.P.
268
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UWAL0048191 Baldwin 04 Oct 2019 Soehren, Eric C.
638
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002460 Coffee 22 Oct 1999 Martin, Brian H.
331
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000041331 Covington 26 Jul 2012 Hansen, Curtis J.
5678
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UNA00048047 Autauga 19 Aug 1874 Smith, Eugene A.
s.n.
UNA
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005506 Henry 11 Sep 2005 Diamond, Alvin R.
15752
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002463 Covington 17 Sep 2005 Diamond, Alvin R.
15767
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005366 Coffee 4 Oct 1989 Diamond, Alvin R.
6578
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AMAL00010570 Henry 11 Sep 2005 Diamond, Alvin R.
15752
AMAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005514 Russell 1 Jul 2002 Gil, Glenda
2001-267
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AMAL00003178 Barbour 18 Aug 1977 Kral, Robert
60774
AMAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005380 Crenshaw 30 Oct 1971 Kapa, Milton
112
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002472 Pike 09 Sep 2004 Hansen, Curtis J.
1654
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
TROY000002462 Crenshaw 31 Oct 2003 Sasser, Telenna
13
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005362 Baldwin 10 Sep 1970 Moore, Harold D.
1046
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002471 Lowndes 30 Sep 2004 Diamond, Alvin R.
14753
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000036836 Covington 12 Sep 2011 Hansen, Curtis J.
5263
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000024703 Covington 28 Oct 2008 Hansen, Curtis J.
3550
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002468 Escambia 03 Oct 2006 Diamond, Alvin R.
17010
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UNA00048050 Russell 26 Sep 1976 Haynes, Robert R.
6021
UNA
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000037850 Covington 24 Oct 2011 Hansen, Curtis J.
5300
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UNA00065897 Barbour 12 Oct 1978 Kral, Robert
62936
UNA
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005378 Crenshaw 11 Oct 1998 Diamond, Alvin R.
11450
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002456 Butler 05 Oct 2003 Diamond, Alvin R.
14223
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005383 Escambia 3 Sep 1989 Diamond, Alvin R.
6328
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AMAL00013450 Escambia 03 Oct 2006 Diamond, Alvin R.
17010
AMAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
JSU116722 Autauga 7 Sep 1982 Gunn, Scott C.
1211
JSU
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AMAL00007244 Monroe 17 Sep 2001 Kral, Robert
91913
AMAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michx.
AUA000005509 Mobile 11 Oct 1980 Jacobs, Robert
15
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002469 Henry 11 Sep 2005 Diamond, Alvin R.
15752
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
TROY000002465 Dale 29 Aug 1997 Rundell, Hannelore
409
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
TROY000015350 Escambia 18 Sep 2008 Diamond, Alvin R.
20064
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
ALNHS00004137 Baldwin 07 Sep 2016 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#2528
ALNHS
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx. var. elegans
AUA000005361 Autauga 7 Sep 1982 Gunn, Scott C.
1211
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005373 Covington 21 Oct 1973 Eads, Beth
201
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UWAL0037385 Bullock 26 Aug 2016 Soehren, Eric C.
399
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UNA00048044 Mobile 10 Sep 1964 Deramus, Rebecca
D242
UNA
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
JSU116725 Covington 30 Aug 1979 Kral, Robert
40858
JSU
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UWAL0000802 Covington 28 Oct 2008 Hansen, Curtis J.
3550
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005371 Covington 21 Oct 1982 Graves, Tom
69
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000036185 Bullock 14 Sep 2012 Dykes, Bailee
1232
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005382 Escambia 6 Sep 1981 Henderson, T.
565
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AMAL00003179 Conecuh 22 Sep 2001 Diamond, Alvin R.
12675
AMAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005377 Covington 5 Oct 1968 Kral, Robert
33704
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005372 Covington 21 Oct 1982 Wilburn, John C.
83
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002453 Barbour 18 Aug 1977 Kral, Robert
60774
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UNA00048049 Crenshaw 11 Oct 1970 Kral, Robert
41613
UNA
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UWAL0011585 Bullock 14 Sep 2012 Dykes, Bailee
1232
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
TROY000002458 Coffee 01 Oct 1999 Martin, Brian H.
277
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
USAM000002515 Mobile 18 Sep 1967 LeLong, Michel G.
3782
USAM
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UWAL0043299 Baldwin 22 Aug 2002 Larsen, Harry S.
1081
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michx.
UWAL0000803 Escambia 16 Oct 2008 Diamond, Alvin R.
20304
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000015347 Wilcox 30 Aug 2007 Diamond, Alvin R.
17990
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000029362 Covington 21 Oct 2009 Hansen, Curtis J.
4468
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx. Var. Elegans
TROY000045709 Autauga 29 Sep 2016 Parker, Matthew R.
157
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
USAM000002513 Washington 02 Sep 1967 LeLong, Michel G.
3710
USAM
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UWAL0046473 Autauga 05 Oct 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
1342
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005379 Crenshaw 29 Oct 1989 Diamond, Alvin R.
6569
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UWAL0048156 Autauga 29 Sep 2016 Parker, Matthew R.
157
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UNA00057180 Clarke 14 Sep 1997 Whetstone, R.D.
18922
UNA
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AMAL00010759 Butler 14 Oct 1978 Kral, Robert
63042
AMAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005368 Coffee 8 Oct 1989 Diamond, Alvin R.
6516
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UWAL0034885 Geneva 02 Oct 1994 Kral, Robert
84207
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michaux
TROY000002466 Dale 07 Nov 1998 Rundell, Hannelore
642
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
TROY000015351 Montgomery 01 Nov 2007 Diamond, Alvin R.
18566
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UNA00048046 Pike 28 Sep 1966 McDaniel, Sidney
7820
UNA
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005375 Covington 17 Sep 2005 Diamond, Alvin R.
15767
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005513 Russell 2 Oct 1980 Bozeman, L.L.
62
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UWAL0037523 Bullock 23 Sep 2016 Soehren, Eric C.
413
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx. Var elegans
UNA00048051 Mobile 06 Nov 1965 Deramus, Rebecca
D816
UNA
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
JSU116724 Clarke 14 Sep 1997 Whetstone, R. David
18922
JSU
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
TROY000002454 Bullock 20 Oct 2001 Diamond, Alvin R.
12811
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000038932 Baldwin 21 Aug 1925 Wolf, Wolfgang
2389
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx. Var. Elegans
TROY000048615 Autauga 05 Oct 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
1342
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005381 Crenshaw 30 Sep 1946 Henry, Mary G.
4563
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002457 Butler 09 Sep 2000 Diamond, Alvin R.
12114
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UWAL0011534 Monroe 29 Sep 2012 Diamond, Alvin R.
23451
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000027123 Baldwin 10 Oct 2007 Barger, T. Wayne
PERD-189
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UWAL0011350 Lowndes 09 Sep 2011 Keener, Brian R.
6669
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
TROY000035394 Crenshaw 25 Sep 2006 Kral, Robert
97676
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UWAL0043297 Baldwin 21 Sep 2000 Larsen, Harry S.
506
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michx.
TROY000015348 Coffee 11 Oct 1999 Martin, Brian H.
313
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005370 Conecuh 17 Aug 1985 Diamond, Alvin R.
1551
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002452 Barbour 12 Oct 1978 Kral, Robert
62936
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000038931 Escambia 3 Aug 1933 Blanton, Otto
152
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UWAL0006217 Pike 25 Sep 1982 Kral, Robert
69699
UWAL
Liatris elegans Hook.
TROY000002474 Pike 24 Sep 1995 Holmes, Jeanese
61
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
JSU116723 Clarke 14 Sep 1997 Whetstone, R. David
18922
JSU
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UWAL0034893 Escambia 03 Oct 1994 Kral, Robert
84250
UWAL
Liatrus elegans (Walt.) Michx.
AUA000005515 Washington 9 Sep 1970 Moore, Harold D.
1002
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000033355 Barbour 24 Sep 2011 Morrison, Derek
112
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005365 Clarke 3 Oct 1971 Henley, Nancy S.
93
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
UWAL0052763 Houston 22 Sep 1996 Sorrie, B.A.
9028
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
AUA000005384 Escambia 7 Oct 1968 Kral, Robert
33858
AUA
Liatris Elegans (Walt.) Michx.
USAM000002514 Mobile 22 Oct 1968 LeLong, Michel G.
4903
USAM
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UWAL0011990 Dallas 03 Sep 2012 Keener, Brian R.
7510
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
TROY000002470 Lee 25 Oct 2003 Kral, Robert
94628
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UWAL0010207 Crenshaw 25 Sep 2006 Kral, Robert
97676
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walt.) Michx.
TROY000002459 Coffee 08 Oct 1999 Martin, Brian H.
296
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
JSU140066 Monroe 05 Oct 2011 Barger, T. Wayne
RH-444
JSU
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
UWAL0043298 Baldwin 10 Sep 2001 Larsen, Harry S.
808
UWAL
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michx.
UWAL0004787 Dallas 22 Sep 1982 Kral, Robert
69535
UWAL
Liatris elegans Hook.
TROY000015349 Conecuh 30 Aug 2008 Diamond, Alvin R.
19866
TROY
Liatris elegans (Walter) Michaux
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