Microseris elegans
Microseris howellii
elegant silverpuffs
Howell's microseris, Howell's silverpuffs
0.
branched proximally and often distally.
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 and cauline; petiolate (petioles broadly winged, clasping);
blades linear to narrowly oblanceolate, 10–30 cm, margins entire, dentate, or pinnately lobed (lobes narrow, often retrorse).
erect or curved-ascending, ebracteate.
erect (10–50 cm), ebracteate or leafy.
globose to ovoid in fruit, 4–8(–10) mm.
narrowly ovoid in fruit, 8–17 mm.
5–100;
corollas yellow or orange, equaling or surpassing phyllaries by 1–2 mm.
8–30;
corollas yellow, surpassing phyllaries by 5+ mm.
apices acute to acuminate, faces glabrous;
outer deltate;
inner lanceolate (midveins often purple, thickened).
sometimes purple-spotted, apices erect, acuminate, abaxial faces glabrous or scurfy-puberulent, often black-villous;
outer lanceolate to deltate;
inner lanceolate.
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, 4–7 mm;
pappi of 5–10, white, lanceolate, glabrous, aristate scales 3–6 mm, aristae barbellulate.
= 18.
= 18.
Microseris elegans
Microseris howellii
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.)
Of conservation concern.
Microseris howellii is known only from exposures of peridotite in Josephine County, Oregon. Although related to M. laciniata, it is ecologically isolated from the co-occurring members of that complex. Because of its limited range, it is listed as a threatened taxon by the Oregon Natural Heritage Program (2004).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
OR
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
