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Oak Creek ragwort

Bolander's groundsel, Bolander's ragwort

Habit Perennials, 60–100+ cm; taprooted (caudices subligneous, ascending to erect). Perennials, 20–50+ cm; fibrous-rooted (caudices creeping).
Stems

1 or 2–4, clustered (proximally deeply purple-tinged, distally lightly tinged), glabrous or tomentose at bases and in leaf axils.

1 or 2–3, loosely clustered, glabrous.

Basal leaves

(and proximal cauline) petiolate;

blades obovate or lyrate (pinnately lobed, lateral lobes 2–6+ pairs, their bases petioluliform, terminal lobes larger than laterals, midribs narrowly winged), 60–160+ × 20–40+ mm, bases wide, ultimate margins sharply dentate, crenate-dentate, or irregularly incised.

(and proximal cauline) petiolate;

blades ± orbiculate to oblong, or lyrate (lateral lobes 1–3 pairs, sinuses usually rounded, midribs usually winged), 50–120+ × 30–70+ mm, bases cordate to subcordate, margins shallowly to deeply incised.

Cauline leaves

gradually reduced (petiolate or sessile; shallowly lobed, midribs ± winged, distals bractlike, dentate to incised).

gradually reduced (petiolate or sessile and clasping; lanceolate, incised).

Peduncles

ebracteate, glabrous.

ebracteate or inconspicuously bracteate, glabrous.

Ray florets

(8–)13;

corolla laminae 6–10+ mm.

8 or 13;

corolla laminae 10–15+ mm.

Disc florets

60–70+;

corolla tubes 2–3 mm, limbs 3.5–4.5 mm.

30–45+;

corolla tubes 3–4 mm, limbs 3.5–4.5 mm.

Phyllaries

(13–)21, green (tips yellow), 5–7 mm, glabrous (tips sometimes hairy).

(8), 13, or 21, dark green, 5–8 mm, glabrous or sparsely tomentose proximally.

Calyculi

inconspicuous.

conspicuous.

Heads

15–40+ in open, cymiform arrays.

8–15+ in corymbiform or subumbelliform arrays.

Cypselae

1.5–2 mm, glabrous or ± scabrellous;

pappi 5.5–6.5 mm.

2.5–3.5 mm, glabrous;

pappi 5–7 mm.

2n

= 92.

= 46.

Packera quercetorum

Packera bolanderi

Phenology Flowering mid Apr–early Jun.
Habitat Rocky soils, open areas, scrub-oak and pinyon-pine forests, chaparral
Elevation 800–2200 m (2600–7200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Packera quercetorum is found only infrequently and in relatively small populations in central and southern Arizona and west-central New Mexico. The plants are robust and have probable affinities to P. multilobata. The plants have a bluish tinge when freshly collected and are distinctive in the field.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

The two varieties of Packera bolanderi have been treated as species. The morphologic characteristics used to distinguish the varieties vary widely within some populations. Presence or absence of multicellular hairs has been used to separate the varieties; that trait is also variable. The morphologic distinction is weak; habitat and elevation records lend support for recognizing two varieties.

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

Key
1. Basal leaves (relatively thick and turgid); phyllaries 13 or 21, 6–8+ mm, hairy proximally (hairs tan or brownish, multicelled)
var. bolanderi
1. Basal leaves (relatively thin); phyllaries 8, 13, (or 21), 5–6 mm, glabrous
var. harfordii
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 598. FNA vol. 20, p. 579.
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. obovata, P. ogotorukensis, P. pauciflora, P. paupercula, P. plattensis, P. porteri, P. pseudaurea, 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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
P. bolanderi var. bolanderi, P. bolanderi var. harfordii
Synonyms Senecio quercetorum, Senecio macropus Senecio bolanderi
Name authority (Greene) C. Jeffrey: Kew Bull. 47: 101. (1992) (A. Gray) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 45. (1981)
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