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Brewer's ragwort

saffron ragwort

Habit Perennials or biennials, 40–100+ cm; fibrous-rooted (caudices erect, stout). Perennials, 20–60+ cm; perennating bases horizontal to ascending (relatively long and stout).
Stems

1, glabrous or leaf axils tomentose.

usually 1, rarely 2–3, clustered, glabrous.

Basal leaves

(and proximal cauline) petiolate;

blades spatulate to obovate (pinnately lobed, terminal lobes ovate to oblong, lateral lobes 2–6+ pairs, smaller, midribs narrowly winged), 100–300+ × 20–50(–80+) mm, bases contracted to tapering, ultimate margins crenate or dentate to lacerate (faces glabrous).

(and proximal cauline) petiolate (petioles narrow);

blades narrowly lanceolate or ovate to oblong-ovate, 20–60+ × 10–40+ mm, bases abruptly contracted to tapering, margins subentire to crenate-dentate.

Cauline leaves

gradually reduced (petiolate or sessile; obovate, irregularly incised to subpinnate, terminal lobes narrow).

gradually reduced (sessile, weakly clasping; lanceolate to oblong or sublyrate, often pinnately lobed).

Peduncles

usually ebracteate (rarely with 1–2 bractlets), glabrous.

ebracteate or bracteate (bractlets inconspicuous), glabrous.

Ray florets

8–10+;

corolla laminae 10–15+ mm.

8 or 13;

corolla laminae (deep yellow to orange-red) 6–8+ mm.

Disc florets

45–60+;

corolla tubes 3–3.5 mm, limbs 4–4.5 mm.

60–80+;

corolla tubes 4.5–5.5 mm, limbs 2.5–3.5 mm.

Phyllaries

13 or 21, green, 7–9+ mm, glabrous.

13 or 21, light green (or tips cyanic), 4–8 mm, glabrous.

Calyculi

inconspicuous.

0 or inconspicuous.

Heads

15–50+ in corymbiform arrays.

7–15+ in open, corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

2–2.5 mm, glabrous;

pappi 6–7 mm.

1–1.5 mm, glabrous;

pappi 3–5 mm.

2n

= 46.

= 46.

Packera breweri

Packera crocata

Phenology Flowering mid Apr–late May. Flowering early Jul–mid Aug.
Habitat Dry, rocky soils, partially shaded or protected areas, grasslands, oak savannas, roadsides, disturbed areas Wet meadows, along trails, rocky outcrops
Elevation 200–1500 m (700–4900 ft) 1800–3500 m (5900–11500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; ID; NM; NV; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Packera breweri is known only from Coast Ranges from San Francisco Bay to Los Angeles County and along the eastern edges of the San Joaquin Valley. Populations are relatively small and sporadic; the plants appear not to hybridize with other species of Packera.

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

Packera crocata is characterized by deep yellow to reddish orange corollas. Some collectors have noted that there may be evidence for hybridization between P. crocata and P. dimorphophylla; the relationship between the two species needs further study.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 580. FNA vol. 20, p. 583.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Packera Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Packera
Sibling taxa
P. anonyma, P. antennariifolia, P. aurea, P. bernardina, P. bolanderi, P. cana, P. cardamine, P. castoreus, P. clevelandii, P. contermina, P. crocata, P. cymbalaria, P. cynthioides, P. debilis, P. dimorphophylla, P. eurycephala, P. fendleri, P. flettii, P. franciscana, P. ganderi, P. glabella, P. greenei, P. hartiana, P. hesperia, P. hyperborealis, P. indecora, P. ionophylla, P. layneae, P. macounii, P. malmstenii, P. millefolium, P. millelobata, P. multilobata, P. musiniensis, P. neomexicana, P. obovata, P. ogotorukensis, P. pauciflora, P. paupercula, P. plattensis, P. porteri, P. pseudaurea, P. quercetorum, P. sanguisorboides, P. schweinitziana, P. spellenbergii, P. streptanthifolia, P. subnuda, P. tampicana, P. texensis, P. tomentosa, P. tridenticulata, P. werneriifolia
P. anonyma, P. antennariifolia, P. aurea, P. bernardina, P. bolanderi, P. breweri, P. cana, P. cardamine, P. castoreus, P. clevelandii, P. contermina, P. cymbalaria, P. cynthioides, P. debilis, P. dimorphophylla, P. eurycephala, P. fendleri, P. flettii, P. franciscana, P. ganderi, P. glabella, P. greenei, P. hartiana, P. hesperia, P. hyperborealis, P. indecora, P. ionophylla, P. layneae, P. macounii, P. malmstenii, P. millefolium, P. millelobata, P. multilobata, P. musiniensis, P. neomexicana, P. obovata, P. ogotorukensis, P. pauciflora, P. paupercula, P. plattensis, P. porteri, P. pseudaurea, P. quercetorum, P. sanguisorboides, P. schweinitziana, P. spellenbergii, P. streptanthifolia, P. subnuda, P. tampicana, P. texensis, P. tomentosa, P. tridenticulata, P. werneriifolia
Synonyms Senecio breweri Senecio crocatus, Senecio pyrrhochrous, Senecio tracyi
Name authority (Burtt Davy) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 46. (1981) (Rydberg) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 46. (1981)
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