Microseris elegans
Microseris sylvatica
elegant silverpuffs
sylvan microseris, sylvan scorzonella, woodland silverpuffs
0.
branched or simple.
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 (distal often sessile, clasping);
blades linear to oblong-lanceolate, 8–35 cm, margins entire, dentate, or pinnately lobed, apices acute to acuminate, faces glabrous or scurfy-puberulent.
erect or curved-ascending, ebracteate.
erect (10–55 cm), ebracteate or leafy.
globose to ovoid in fruit, 4–8(–10) mm.
ovoid in fruit, 12–25 mm.
5–100;
corollas yellow or orange, equaling or surpassing phyllaries by 1–2 mm.
25–100;
corollas yellow, surpassing phyllaries by 5+ mm.
apices acute to acuminate, faces glabrous;
outer deltate;
inner lanceolate (midveins often purple, thickened).
abaxial faces glabrous or scurfy-puberulent;
outer broadly or narrowly deltate to ovate-lanceolate, apices recurved, acuminate;
inner lanceolate, acuminate, faces usually lightly black-villous.
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, 5–12 mm;
pappi of 5–10 dull, yellowish brown, linear-lanceolate, glabrous aristate scales 4–10 mm, aristae barbellate to subplumose.
= 18.
= 18, 27.
Microseris elegans
Microseris sylvatica
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 range of Microseris sylvatica includes the Central Valley of California and surrounding foothills. It is becoming rare because of grazing and agriculture (D. P. Tibor 2001). An autotriploid form, 2n = 27, has been reported from Placer County (A. S. Tomb et al. 1978); it reproduced clonally by adventitious buds on lateral roots.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
