Microseris elegans
Microseris campestris
elegant silverpuffs
San Joaquin microseris, San Joaquin silverpuffs
0.
0.
basal; petiolate;
blades linear to narrowly oblanceolate, 2–20 cm, margins entire, dentate, or pinnately lobed, apices acuminate, faces glabrous or lightly scurfy-puberulent.
basal; petiolate;
blades linear to narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, 3–22 cm, margins entire, dentate, or pinnately lobed, apices acute or attenuate, faces glabrous or lightly scurfy-puberulent.
erect or curved-ascending, ebracteate.
erect or curved-ascending, ebracteate.
globose to ovoid in fruit, 4–8(–10) mm.
ovoid to fusiform in fruit, 5–20 mm.
5–100;
corollas yellow or orange, equaling or surpassing phyllaries by 1–2 mm.
5–120;
corollas yellow or white, equaling or surpassing phyllaries by 1–3 mm.
apices acute to acuminate, faces glabrous;
outer deltate;
inner lanceolate (midveins often purple, thickened).
apices acute to acuminate, abaxial faces glabrous;
outer deltate;
inner lanceolate (midveins often purple, thickened).
columnar to obconic, 1.5–3 mm;
pappi of (4–)5 white or brownish, ovate to deltate, aristate scales 0.2–2.5 mm (straight or slightly arcuate, scarcely involute, glabrous, midveins linear, widths less than 1/5 bodies, thicker at base), aristae (brown, fine) barbellulate.
columnar, 3–5.5 mm;
pappi of 5, white or light brownish, lanceolate or ovate to deltate, aristate scales 1–4.5 mm (straight to slightly arcuate, plane or slightly involute, glabrous, midveins brown, broadened at bases, widths less than 1/5 bodies, linear distally), aristae (straw-colored or brown) barbellulate proximally, barbellate distally.
= 18.
= 36.
Microseris elegans
Microseris campestris
Microseris elegans is widespread in interior central California, becoming coastal in the southwestern part of its range. It was hypothesized to be one of the diploid ancestors of M. campestris (K. L. Chambers 1955); molecular evidence supporting that relationship was presented by D. Roelofs et al. (1997).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The tetraploid Microseris campestris is morphologically intermediate between M. elegans and M. douglasii, and the molecular data of D. Roelofs et al. (1997) show a particularly close relationship with the former species. It is known only from the San Joaquin Valley and surrounding foothills. Diploid plants assignable to M. douglasii but with fruit morphology similar to M. campestris, found much closer to the coast near San Luis Obispo, are thought to be the result of introgression between M. douglasii and M. bigelovii (K. L. Chambers 1955).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
