Flora of North America species comparison

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Chaenactis douglasii

Chaenactis nevadensis

chaenactis, Douglas' dusty maidens, Douglas' dustymaiden, hoary chaenactis, hoary false-yarrow, hoary pincushion

Nevada dustymaiden, Sierra chaenactis, Sierra pincushion
Habit Biennials or perennials, (2–)5–50(–60) cm (rarely slightly woody or flowering first year, sometimes cespitose or ± matted); proximal indument thinning with age, grayish, mostly arachnoid-sericeous to thinly lanuginose. Perennials, 2–10(–12) cm (cespitose or ± matted); proximal indument ± thinning with age, whitish, lanuginose.
Stems

1–25+, erect to spreading.

mostly 10–20+, decumbent to ± erect.
Leaves

basal, or basal (sometimes withering) and ± cauline, (1–)2–12(–15) cm;

largest blades ± elliptic or slightly lanceolate to ovate, ± 3-dimensional, usually 2-pinnately lobed;

primary lobes (4–)5–9(–12) pairs, ± congested, scarcely imbricate, ultimate lobes ± involute and/or twisted.

± basal, 2.5–5 cm;

largest blades ovate to deltate, ± plane, (1–)2-pinnately lobed;

primary lobes mostly 2–4 pairs, ± congested, ultimate lobes ± plane.
Peduncles

mostly ascending to erect, 1–10 cm.

mostly ascending to erect, (0.5–)3–11 cm.
Involucres

obconic to ± hemispheric.

obconic to ± cylindric.
Corollas

5–8 mm.

5.5–8 mm.
Phyllaries

longest 9–15(–17) mm;

outer usually stipitate-glandular (sometimes sparsely or obscurely, rarely eglandular) and, often, arachnoid to lanuginose and, sometimes, sparsely villous, apices usually ± squarrose, pliant.

longest 9–12(–14) mm;

outer stipitate-glandular, apices erect, ± rigid.
Heads

1–25+ per stem.

1(–2) per stem.
Cypselae

5–8 mm (usually sparsely glandular amidst other indument);

pappi: longest scales 3–6 mm.

5.5–7.5 mm;

pappi: longest scales 3–5 mm.
2n

= 12.

Chaenactis douglasii

Chaenactis nevadensis
Phenology Flowering Jul–mid Sep.
Habitat Loose sandy or gravelly, mainly volcanic soils or scree (rarely on serpentine), openings in or above subalpine conifer forests
Elevation 1900–3200 m (6200–10500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; ND; NM; NV; OR; SD; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Chaenactis douglasii is widespread and variable (see discussion under var. douglasii).

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

Chaenactis nevadensis is known mainly from the northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Range (Shasta to Placer counties, California; Washoe County, Nevada). It was recently discovered disjunct on ultramafic rocks of Bully Choop Mountain west of Redding, California, where it approaches small forms of C. suffrutescens in habit (see discussion there). It is sometimes cultivated in rock-gardens and may be found beyond its native range. Chaenactis nevadensis and C. suffrutescens appear to be sister or ancestor-derivative species. I have seen no evidence to support reports that C. nevadensis intergrades with C. alpigena (P. Stockwell 1940, as C. nevadensis var. mainsiana), with C. douglasii var. alpina (M. Graf 1999), or with any other taxon.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Leaves basal (sometimes withering) and ± cauline; plants not or scarcely cespitose, not matted; stems usually 1–5(–12); heads (1–)2–25+ per stem
var. douglasii
1. Leaves strictly basal; plants cespitose or ± matted; stems (1–)10–25+; heads 1(–2) per stem
var. alpina
Source FNA vol. 21, p. 405. FNA vol. 21, p. 405.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Chaenactidinae > Chaenactis > sect. Macrocarphus Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Chaenactidinae > Chaenactis > sect. Macrocarphus
Sibling taxa
C. alpigena, C. artemisiifolia, C. carphoclinia, C. cusickii, C. evermannii, C. fremontii, C. glabriuscula, C. macrantha, C. nevadensis, C. nevii, C. parishii, C. santolinoides, C. stevioides, C. suffrutescens, C. thompsonii, C. xantiana
C. alpigena, C. artemisiifolia, C. carphoclinia, C. cusickii, C. douglasii, C. evermannii, C. fremontii, C. glabriuscula, C. macrantha, C. nevii, C. parishii, C. santolinoides, C. stevioides, C. suffrutescens, C. thompsonii, C. xantiana
Subordinate taxa
C. douglasii var. alpina, C. douglasii var. douglasii
Synonyms Hymenopappus douglasii, Macrocarphus douglasii Hymenopappus nevadensis
Name authority (Hooker) Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Beechey Voy., 354. (1839) (Kellogg) A. Gray: in W. H. Brewer et al., Bot. Calif. 1: 391. (1876)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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