Packera paupercula
balsam groundsel, Canadian butterweed
1 or 2–4, loosely clustered, glabrous or sparsely tomentose proximally.
petiolate;
blades lanceolate to narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, 30–60+ × 10–20+ mm, bases tapering, sometimes obtuse, margins subentire to dentate or serrate.
gradually reduced (proximals petiolate, sublyrate; mids sessile, not clasping, lanceolate, dissected, incised, or lacerate; distals sessile, bractlike).
usually bracteate, sometimes ebracteate, glabrous.
0, 8, or 13;
corolla laminae (pale yellow) 5–10+ mm.
50–65+;
corolla tubes 2–3 mm, limbs 2–3 mm.
13 or 21, green, 5–8+ mm, glabrous.
inconspicuous.
2–10+ in loose or compact, corymbiform arrays.
1–2 mm, usually glabrous, sometimes hispidulous on ribs;
pappi 3.5–4.5 mm.
= 44, 46, 92.
Packera paupercula
Ecologically and morphologically, Packera paupercula is the most variable species of the genus in North America. Some “phases” have been treated as separate species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and races. Variation within P. paupercula hints at some interesting evolutionary relationships; characteristics used to separate taxa overlap. Much of the morphologic variation in this species may be due to hybridization and introgression. I do not recognize any of the infraspecific taxa that have been proposed.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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