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serpentine groundsel, Siskiyou butterweed, western ragwort

lobeleaf groundsel

Habit Perennials, 7–15+ cm; fibrous-rooted (caudices relatively slender). Biennials or perennials, 20–40+ cm; taprooted (caudices ascending to erect, weakly branched).
Stems

1, glabrous or sparsely tomentose.

1 or 2–5, loosely clustered, usually glabrous or glabrescent, sometimes sparsely tomentose throughout, axils (basal leaves) tomentose.

Basal leaves

(and proximal cauline) petiolate;

blades ovate, oblanceolate, or spatulate, 10–30 × 5–20 mm, bases tapering, sometimes obtuse, margins entire, subentire, or dentate.

(and proximal cauline) petiolate;

blades obovate, oblanceolate, spatulate, or lyrate to sublyrate (± pinnately lobed, lateral lobes 3–6 pairs, smaller than terminal lobes), 40–80+ × 10–30+ mm, bases tapering, ultimate margins incised to dentate.

Cauline leaves

abruptly reduced (sessile, clasping; bractlike, entire).

gradually reduced (sessile).

Peduncles

bracteate (bractlets red-tinged), densely lanate-tomentose.

conspicuously bracteate, glabrous or tomentose.

Ray florets

(8–)13;

corolla laminae 6–10+ mm.

8–13;

corolla laminae 7–10 mm.

Disc florets

35–50+;

corolla tubes 2.5–3.5 mm, limbs 3–4 mm.

40–50+;

corolla tubes 4–5 mm, limbs 3–4 mm.

Phyllaries

(13–)21, green (tips red or dark red), densely tomentose proximally.

13–21, green (tips often yellow), 4–9+ mm, glabrous or sparsely tomentose (at least proximally).

Calyculi

conspicuous (bractlets narrow, red-tinged).

conspicuous.

Heads

1–4+ in corymbiform arrays.

10–30+ in open, corymbiform or subumbelliform arrays.

Cypselae

1.5–2 mm, glabrous;

pappi 5–6 mm.

2–3 mm, glabrous or hirtellous on ribs;

pappi 5–6 mm.

2n

= 46.

= 46, 92.

Packera hesperia

Packera multilobata

Phenology Flowering mid Apr–mid Jun. Flowering early May–mid Jul.
Habitat Serpentine derived soils, open woodland scrub Dry rocky or sandy soils in sagebrush, woodlands, and subalpine areas
Elevation 500–2500 m (1600–8200 ft) 1200–2900 m (3900–9500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; NM; NV; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Packera hesperia is known only from the Siskiyou Mountains.

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

Packera multilobata is abundant and widespread west of the Continental Divide. Both morphology and habitat vary. In colder parts of its range, plants are shorter, caudices are better developed with clustered stems, and leaf lobes are larger. In desert-like habitats, basal leaves are narrower and more finely lobed, the tomentum is often persistent, and stems are usually single.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 589. FNA vol. 20, p. 592.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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 hesperius, Senecio auleticus Senecio multilobatus, Senecio leucoreus, Senecio lynceus, Senecio nelsonii var. uintahensis, Senecio prolixus, Senecio stygius, Senecio thornberi, Senecio uintahensis
Name authority (Greene) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 47. (1981) (Torrey & A. Gray) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 47. (1981)
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