Flora of North America species comparison

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Packera crocata

Packera flettii

saffron ragwort

Flett's groundsel, Flett's ragwort
Habit Perennials, 20–60+ cm; perennating bases horizontal to ascending (relatively long and stout). Perennials, 10–40+ cm; rhizomatous (rhizomes horizontal to erect).
Stems

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

1 or 2–5 (often scapiform), loosely clustered, glabrous or leaf axils sparsely hairy.
Basal leaves

(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.

(and proximal cauline) petiolate;

blades obovate to ovate or sublyrate, 30–60+ × 10–40+ mm, bases tapering, margins deeply dissected or pinnatifid, ultimate margins crenate to crenate-dentate.
Cauline leaves

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

abruptly reduced or 0 (sessile; ovate to obovate, dissected or pinnatifid).
Peduncles

ebracteate or bracteate (bractlets inconspicuous), glabrous.

inconspicuously bracteate or ebracteate, glabrous.
Ray florets

8 or 13;

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

5 or 8;

corolla laminae 5–10 mm.
Disc florets

60–80+;

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

20–30+;

corolla tubes 2.5–3.5 mm, limbs 2.5–3.5 mm.
Phyllaries

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

(8–)13, light green (tips yellowish), 4–7 mm, glabrous.
Calyculi

0 or inconspicuous.

0 or inconspicuous.
Heads

7–15+ in open, corymbiform arrays.

4–10+ in subumbelliform cymiform arrays.
Cypselae

1–1.5 mm, glabrous;

pappi 3–5 mm.

1–1.5 mm, glabrous;

pappi 4–4.5 mm.
2n

= 46.

= 40.

Packera crocata

Packera flettii
Phenology Flowering early Jul–mid Aug. Flowering early Jul–mid Aug.
Habitat Wet meadows, along trails, rocky outcrops Exposed slopes, rocky or gravelly soils
Elevation 1800–3500 m (5900–11500 ft) 700–2000 m (2300–6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; NM; NV; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

Packera flettii is known from the Olympic Mountains and near Mt. Rainer in Washington and coastal mountains of Clatsop County, Oregon. It has a chromosome number unique in the genus and is not known to hybridize with other species of Packera.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 583. FNA vol. 20, p. 587.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Packera Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Packera
Sibling taxa
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
P. anonyma, P. antennariifolia, P. aurea, P. bernardina, P. bolanderi, P. breweri, 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. 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 crocatus, Senecio pyrrhochrous, Senecio tracyi Senecio flettii
Name authority (Rydberg) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 46. (1981) (Wiegand) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 46. (1981)
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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