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Bigelow sage, Bigelow sagebrush, Bigelow sagewort, Bigelow's sage

long-leaf sage, longleaf sagebrush, longleaf wormwood

Habit Shrubs, 20–40(–60) cm (branched from bases, rounded), mildly aromatic; not root-sprouting. Perennials, 20–80 cm (not cespitose), pleasantly aromatic (fibrous-rooted, rootstocks relatively short, horizontal, layered stems sometimes sprouting).
Stems

silvery, canescent (bark gray-brown).

3–20+, erect, gray-green, usually simple, sometimes branched (bases woody), densely tomentose.

Leaves

persistent, light gray-green;

blades narrowly cuneate, 0.5–3 × 0.2–0.5 cm, entire or 3(–5)-lobed (lobes 1.5–2 mm, less than 1/3 blade lengths, acute), faces silvery canescent.

cauline, bicolor (white and green);

blades linear to lanceolate, 3–12 × 1 cm, margins usually entire, sometimes toothed or lobed, faces densely tomentose (abaxial) or glabrate (adaxial).

Involucres

globose, 2–3 × 1.5–2.5 mm.

campanulate, 4–5 × 4–5 mm.

Florets

pistillate 0–2 (raylike, laminae to 1 mm);

bisexual 1–3;

corollas 1–1.5 mm (style branches of ray florets elongate, exsert, epapillate, tips acute; of disc florets, short, truncate, papillate).

pistillate 3–10;

bisexual 8–26;

corollas pale yellow, 1–2 mm, sparsely glandular.

Phyllaries

(8–15) ovate, canescent or tomentose.

ovate-lanceolate (margins hyaline), densely to sparsely tomentose.

Heads

(usually nodding) in arrays 6–25 × 1–4 cm (branches erect, somewhat curved).

(peduncles 0 or to 2 mm) in mostly racemiform arrays 8–13 × 1–2 cm.

Cypselae

(ellipsoid, 5-ribbed) 0.8–1 mm, glabrous.

ellipsoid, 0.5–0.8 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 18, 36, 72.

= 36.

Artemisia bigelovii

Artemisia longifolia

Phenology Flowering early summer–late fall. Flowering mid summer–early fall.
Habitat Deserts, sandy or alkaline soils, rock outcrops Alkaline flats, grasslands, barren areas, high plains
Elevation 1000–2500 m (3300–8200 ft) 500–1800 m (1600–5900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; NM; NV; TX; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MN; MT; ND; NE; SD; WY; AB; BC; MB; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Artemisia bigelovii of the southwestern deserts is easily confused in the field with A. tridentata, even though it is well distinguished ecologically and morphologically. Systematic placement within subg. Tridentatae remains problematic. Presence of “ray” florets (though rare) and vestigial spines on the pollen (R. P. Wodehouse 1935) suggest a relationship with groups ancestral to Tridentatae. The species also has the unusual characteristic of lignified trichomes (L. M. Shultz 1986b). Further research may help to determine proper placement; its affinities may be with members of subg. Artemisia.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Artemisia longifolia appears to be more salt-tolerant than most species of the genus. It is closely related to A. ludoviciana.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 19, p. 512. FNA vol. 19, p. 527.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Anthemideae > Artemisia > subg. Tridentatae Asteraceae > tribe Anthemideae > Artemisia > subg. Artemisia
Sibling taxa
A. abrotanum, A. absinthium, A. alaskana, A. aleutica, A. annua, A. arbuscula, A. biennis, A. borealis, A. californica, A. campestris, A. cana, A. carruthii, A. douglasiana, A. dracunculus, A. filifolia, A. franserioides, A. frigida, A. furcata, A. globularia, A. glomerata, A. laciniata, A. longifolia, A. ludoviciana, A. michauxiana, A. nesiotica, A. norvegica, A. nova, A. packardiae, A. palmeri, A. papposa, A. pattersonii, A. pedatifida, A. pontica, A. porteri, A. pycnocephala, A. pygmaea, A. rigida, A. rothrockii, A. rupestris, A. scopulorum, A. senjavinensis, A. serrata, A. spiciformis, A. stelleriana, A. suksdorfii, A. tilesii, A. tridentata, A. tripartita, A. vulgaris
A. abrotanum, A. absinthium, A. alaskana, A. aleutica, A. annua, A. arbuscula, A. biennis, A. bigelovii, A. borealis, A. californica, A. campestris, A. cana, A. carruthii, A. douglasiana, A. dracunculus, A. filifolia, A. franserioides, A. frigida, A. furcata, A. globularia, A. glomerata, A. laciniata, A. ludoviciana, A. michauxiana, A. nesiotica, A. norvegica, A. nova, A. packardiae, A. palmeri, A. papposa, A. pattersonii, A. pedatifida, A. pontica, A. porteri, A. pycnocephala, A. pygmaea, A. rigida, A. rothrockii, A. rupestris, A. scopulorum, A. senjavinensis, A. serrata, A. spiciformis, A. stelleriana, A. suksdorfii, A. tilesii, A. tridentata, A. tripartita, A. vulgaris
Synonyms A. petrophila, Seriphidium bigelovii A. ludoviciana var. integrifolia, A. natronensis, A. vulgaris subsp. longifolia, A. vulgaris var. longifolia
Name authority A. Gray: in War Department [U.S.], Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 110. (1857) Nuttall: Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 2: 142. (1818)
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