Packera glabella |
Packera crocata |
|
---|---|---|
butterweed |
saffron ragwort |
|
Habit | Annuals or biennials, 20–70+ cm; fibrous-rooted (caudices relatively short, weak). | Perennials, 20–60+ cm; perennating bases horizontal to ascending (relatively long and stout). |
Stems | 1 (striated, frequently hollow, often pink- to purple-tinged), glabrous or leaf axils sparsely tomentose. |
usually 1, rarely 2–3, clustered, glabrous. |
Basal leaves | (and proximal cauline) obscurely petiolate; blades obovate to oblanceolate, sometimes lyrate (lateral lobes to 5 pairs, terminal lobes larger than laterals), 50–150+ × 10–30+ mm, bases tapering, ultimate margins crenate to irregularly undulate. |
(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 (weakly clasping, similar to basal). |
gradually reduced (sessile, weakly clasping; lanceolate to oblong or sublyrate, often pinnately lobed). |
Peduncles | bracteate, glabrous or bases tomentose. |
ebracteate or bracteate (bractlets inconspicuous), glabrous. |
Ray florets | (8–)13; corolla laminae 7–9 mm. |
8 or 13; corolla laminae (deep yellow to orange-red) 6–8+ mm. |
Disc florets | 35–50+; corolla tubes 2.5–3.5 mm, limbs 2–3 mm. |
60–80+; corolla tubes 4.5–5.5 mm, limbs 2.5–3.5 mm. |
Phyllaries | (13–)21, green, 5–7 mm, glabrous. |
13 or 21, light green (or tips cyanic), 4–8 mm, glabrous. |
Calyculi | conspicuous (bractlets 2.5–4 mm). |
0 or inconspicuous. |
Heads | 8–30+ in umbelliform or cymiform arrays (robust plants with multiple arrays). |
7–15+ in open, corymbiform arrays. |
Cypselae | 1–1.5 mm, sparsely hirtellous on ribs or glabrous; pappi 3–4 mm. |
1–1.5 mm, glabrous; pappi 3–5 mm. |
2n | = 46. |
= 46. |
Packera glabella |
Packera crocata |
|
Phenology | Flowering (Feb–)mid Mar–late May. | Flowering early Jul–mid Aug. |
Habitat | Open wet areas, edges of woodlands, stream banks, roadsides, meadows, marshes, fallow fields | Wet meadows, along trails, rocky outcrops |
Elevation | 0–600 m (0–2000 ft) | 1800–3500 m (5900–11500 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; FL; GA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MO; MS; NC; NE; OH; OK; SC; TN; TX
|
CO; ID; NM; NV; UT; WY
|
Discussion | Packera glabella is common and almost weedy in wet, partially shaded places. The hollow, striated stems of P. glabella are distinctive. (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. 588. | FNA vol. 20, p. 583. |
Parent taxa | Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Packera | Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Packera |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Senecio glabellus, Senecio carolinianus, Senecio densiflorus, Senecio lobatus, Senecio lyratus, Senecio mississipianus | Senecio crocatus, Senecio pyrrhochrous, Senecio tracyi |
Name authority | (Poiret) C. Jeffrey: Kew Bull. 47: 101. (1992) | (Rydberg) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 46. (1981) |
Web links |