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roundleaf ragwort, running groundsel

White Mountain ragwort

Habit Perennials, 20–50+ cm; stoloniferous and rhizomatous (rhizomes horizontal to suberect). Perennials, 20–40+ cm; rhizomatous (rhizomes horizontal to erect).
Stems

1 or multiple, loosely clustered, usually glabrous, sometimes tomentose proximally and in leaf axils.

1 or 2–3, clustered, densely lanate-tomentose or canescent, tufts of arachnoid tomentum in leaf axils, or glabrescent.

Basal leaves

(and proximal cauline) petiolate;

blades orbiculate, ovate, or obovate, 40–100+ × 20–80+ mm, bases tapering, rounded, or abruptly contracted, margins crenate, dentate, or serrate.

(thick, leathery) petiolate;

blades narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate, 25–100+ × 5–20 mm, bases tapering, margins entire, subentire, dentate, or wavy (adaxial faces early glabrescent).

Cauline leaves

gradually reduced (sessile, clasping; pinnatisect or sublyrate).

gradually reduced (sessile; lanceolate to oblanceolate, entire or wavy).

Peduncles

bracteate, glabrous or proximally tomentose.

0 (or relatively reduced, then densely tomentose).

Ray florets

8–13(–21);

corolla laminae 7–10 mm.

(5–)8;

corolla laminae 8–10+ mm.

Disc florets

40–50+;

corolla tubes 2–3 mm, limbs 2–3 mm.

35–45+;

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

Phyllaries

13 or 21, green (tips sometimes reddish), 3–6 mm, glabrous or floccose-tomentose proximally.

(8–)13, green (tips red), 3–6 mm, densely tomentose proximally, glabrate distally.

Calyculi

conspicuous.

inconspicuous (bractlets red-tipped).

Heads

6–15+ in open or congested, corymbiform arrays.

10–30+ in open or congested, cymiform arrays.

Cypselae

1–1.5 mm, glabrous or hirsute on ribs;

pappi 3–6 mm.

1–1.5 mm, glabrous;

pappi 5–6 mm.

2n

= 44, 88, 90.

= 46.

Packera obovata

Packera cynthioides

Phenology Flowering late Feb–Apr (south), early Apr–early Jun (north). Flowering late Jul–mid Sep.
Habitat Meadows in deciduous woodlands, wet ditches, stream banks, rocky hillsides Loose rocky soils, steep slopes, subalpine and pine-juniper forests
Elevation 0–2500 m (0–8200 ft) 2200–2900 m (7200–9500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; CT; FL; GA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; MI; MO; MS; NC; NH; NJ; NM; NY; OH; OK; PA; RI; SC; TN; TX; VA; VT; WV; ON; QC; Mexico (Coahuila)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Packera obovata forms relatively large, stoloniferous colonies in wet sites.

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

Packera cynthioides blooms later than other Packera species at the same latitudes. It is noted by collectors as usually growing on north- or west-facing slopes in limestone-derived soils. Its cauline leaves are well developed and held at a shallow angle to the stem, giving the plant a more “leafy” aspect than other members of the genus.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 594. 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. 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. multilobata, P. musiniensis, P. neomexicana, 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. 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 obovatus, Senecio aureus var. obovatus, Senecio elliottii, Senecio elongatus, Senecio rotundus Senecio cynthioides, Senecio fendleri var. subintegra, Senecio wrightii
Name authority (Muhlenberg ex Willdenow) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 47. (1981) (Greene) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 46. (1981)
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