Packera paupercula |
Packera tampicana |
|
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balsam groundsel, Canadian butterweed |
Great Plains ragwort |
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Habit | Perennials, 20–45+ cm; subrhizomatous (bases weakly branched, ascending to erect). | Annuals, 20–50+ cm; taprooted (caudices ascending to erect). |
Stems | 1 or 2–4, loosely clustered, glabrous or sparsely tomentose proximally. |
1 or 2–6+, clustered (bases cyanic), glabrous or leaf axils sparsely tomentose. |
Basal leaves | petiolate; blades lanceolate to narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, 30–60+ × 10–20+ mm, bases tapering, sometimes obtuse, margins subentire to dentate or serrate. |
(and proximal cauline) petiolate; blades oblanceolate to spatulate (usually pinnately lobed, lateral lobes 1–6+ pairs, their bases petioluliform, terminal lobes usually larger than laterals, often reniform to ± orbiculate, midribs sometimes ± winged and/or toothed between the primary lobes), 40–120+ × 10–30+ mm, bases ± cuneate, ultimate margins subentire or irregularly crenate, dentate, or lobed. |
Cauline leaves | gradually reduced (proximals petiolate, sublyrate; mids sessile, not clasping, lanceolate, dissected, incised, or lacerate; distals sessile, bractlike). |
gradually reduced (± petiolate or sessile, clasping; often auriculate, pinnately dissected to pinnately lobed). |
Peduncles | usually bracteate, sometimes ebracteate, glabrous. |
bracteate, glabrous. |
Ray florets | 0, 8, or 13; corolla laminae (pale yellow) 5–10+ mm. |
8 or 13; corolla laminae 3–7 mm. |
Disc florets | 50–65+; corolla tubes 2–3 mm, limbs 2–3 mm. |
30–45(–100+); corolla tubes 1.5–2.5 mm, limbs (1.5–)2.5–3.5 mm. |
Phyllaries | 13 or 21, green, 5–8+ mm, glabrous. |
13 or 21, green (tips sometimes reddish), 3–7 mm, glabrous. |
Calyculi | inconspicuous. |
inconspicuous or 0. |
Heads | 2–10+ in loose or compact, corymbiform arrays. |
4–25+ in corymbiform arrays. |
Cypselae | 1–2 mm, usually glabrous, sometimes hispidulous on ribs; pappi 3.5–4.5 mm. |
1–1.5 mm, hirtellous on ribs; pappi 3–5 mm. |
2n | = 44, 46, 92. |
= 46. |
Packera paupercula |
Packera tampicana |
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Phenology | Flowering May–late Jun (south), late Jun–early Aug (north). | Flowering Feb–Jun. |
Habitat | Wet meadows, open woodlands, along streams, rocky outcrops | Disturbed, wet, sandy or clay sites, roadsides, stream banks, waste areas |
Elevation | 0–3000 m (0–9800 ft) | 0–1000 m (0–3300 ft) |
Distribution |
AK; AL; CO; DC; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MT; NC; ND; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; SD; TN; UT; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; NU; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT
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AR; KS; LA; OK; TX; Mexico
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Discussion | 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.) |
Packera tampicana is fairly widespread along the Gulf Coastal Plain and north and in Mexico. Morphologically, P. tampicana most closely resembles P. glabella; the former grows in very wet, sandy or clay soils and open sunlight, the latter grows in drier habitats, usually in partial shade. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 20, p. 595. | FNA vol. 20, p. 600. |
Parent taxa | Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Packera | Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Packera |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Senecio pauperculus, Senecio balsamitae, Senecio balsamitae var. firmifolius, Senecio balsamitae var. thomsoniensis, Senecio crawfordii, Senecio flavovirens, Senecio gaspensis, Senecio multnomensis, Senecio robbinsii var. subtomentosus, Senecio tweedyi | Senecio tampicanus, Senecio greggii, Senecio imparipinnatus |
Name authority | (Michaux) Á. Löve & D. Löve: Bot. Not. 128: 520. (1976) | (de Candolle) C. Jeffrey: Kew Bull. 47: 101. (1992) |
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