Flora of North America species comparison

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Chaenactis thompsonii

Chaenactis parishii
Chaenactis thompsonii

Thompson's pincushion

Parish chaenactis, Parish's chaenactis
Habit Perennials, 10–30 cm (not or scarcely cespitose, not matted); proximal indument thinning with age, grayish, arachnoid-sericeous to thinly lanuginose. Subshrubs, (10–)20–40(–60) cm (not cespitose or matted); proximal indument (especially of stems) persistent, whitish, densely lanuginose or pannose.
Stems

mostly 5–15+, ascending to erect.

mostly 5–15+, erect.
Leaves

mostly cauline, 2–5 cm;

largest blades ± elliptic, ± plane, 1-pinnately lobed;

lobes mostly 2–5 pairs, remote, ± plane.

mostly cauline, (1–)2–5 cm;

largest blades lance-ovate or deltate, ± plane, 1-pinnately lobed;

lobes mostly 2–5 pairs, remote, ± plane.
Peduncles

ascending to erect, 2–5 cm.

ascending to erect, 2–8(–20) cm.
Involucres

± obconic.

± obconic.
Corollas

7–9 mm.

7–8.5 mm.
Phyllaries

longest (10–)12–15 mm;

outer closely lanuginose, not stipitate-glandular, apices erect, ± rigid.

longest 10–13 mm;

outer predominantly arachnoid to closely lanuginose (sparsely, if at all, stipitate-glandular), apices ± squarrose, pliant.
Heads

mostly 1–3 per stem.

mostly 1–3 per stem.
Cypselae

7–9 mm (eglandular);

pappi: longest scales 3.5–5 mm.

4–7 mm;

pappi: longest scales 6–8 mm.
2n

= 12.

Chaenactis thompsonii

Chaenactis parishii
Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Rocky or gravelly serpentine slopes, scree, talus, openings in or above conifer forests Open rocky to sandy soils in low montane chaparral
Elevation (900–)1200–2200 m ((3000–)3900–7200 ft) 1300–2500 m (4300–8200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Chaenactis thompsonii appears to be sister to C. evermannii; it is known from the mountains of central and northwestern Washington. The similar habits of C. thompsonii and C. ramosa (= C. douglasii var. douglasii) appear to result from convergent evolution in the distinctive habitat of their type localities (Wenatchee Mountains), not from a close genetic relationship as suggested by Cronquist.

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

Of conservation concern.

Chaenactis parishii is sometimes cultivated in rock gardens. It is known from small, isolated populations in the higher Peninsular Ranges of Riverside and San Diego counties and adjacent Baja California. Chaenactis parishii and C. suffrutescens form a species pair well marked by the (usually) subshrubby habit, proximal indument persistent, white, felty, heads relatively large, and largest leaf blades lance-ovate to deltate.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 21, p. 407. FNA vol. 21, p. 404.
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. douglasii, C. evermannii, C. fremontii, C. glabriuscula, C. macrantha, C. nevadensis, C. nevii, C. parishii, C. santolinoides, C. stevioides, C. suffrutescens, C. xantiana
C. alpigena, C. artemisiifolia, C. carphoclinia, C. cusickii, C. douglasii, C. evermannii, C. fremontii, C. glabriuscula, C. macrantha, C. nevadensis, C. nevii, C. santolinoides, C. stevioides, C. suffrutescens, C. thompsonii, C. xantiana
Name authority Cronquist: in C. L. Hitchcock et al., Vasc. Pl. Pacif. N.W. 5: 123, fig. [p. 125]. (1955) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 20: 299. (1885)
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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