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cleft-leaf groundsel, Rocky Mountain butterweed, Rocky Mountain groundsel

saffron ragwort

Habit Perennials, 10–50+ cm; fibrous-rooted (caudices weak to stout, horizontal to suberect). Perennials, 20–60+ cm; perennating bases horizontal to ascending (relatively long and stout).
Stems

1 or 2–5, clustered, usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely floccose-tomentose proximally and in leaf axils.

usually 1, rarely 2–3, clustered, glabrous.

Basal leaves

(and proximal cauline, relatively thick and turgid) petiolate;

blades spatulate to oblanceolate, or ovate to orbiculate, 20–40+ × 10–30+ mm, bases tapering to abruptly contracted or subcordate, margins entire, crenate, dentate, or weakly lobulate (faces usually glabrous, sometimes hairy).

(and proximal cauline) petiolate (petioles narrow);

blades narrowly lanceolate or ovate to oblong-ovate, 20–60+ × 10–40+ mm, bases abruptly contracted to tapering, margins subentire to crenate-dentate.

Cauline leaves

gradually to abruptly reduced (± petiolate or sessile; entire or subentire).

gradually reduced (sessile, weakly clasping; lanceolate to oblong or sublyrate, often pinnately lobed).

Peduncles

bracteate, glabrous or sparsely tomentose.

ebracteate or bracteate (bractlets inconspicuous), glabrous.

Ray florets

8 or 13;

corolla laminae 5–10 mm.

8 or 13;

corolla laminae (deep yellow to orange-red) 6–8+ mm.

Disc florets

35–60+;

corolla tubes 2–4 mm, limbs 2.5–4 mm.

60–80+;

corolla tubes 4.5–5.5 mm, limbs 2.5–3.5 mm.

Phyllaries

(8–)13 or 21, green (tips sometimes cyanic), 4–7+ mm, glabrous.

13 or 21, light green (or tips cyanic), 4–8 mm, glabrous.

Calyculi

conspicuous.

0 or inconspicuous.

Heads

2–20+ in loose, corymbiform or subumbelliform arrays.

7–15+ in open, corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

1–2.5 mm, glabrous;

pappi 3–6 mm.

1–1.5 mm, glabrous;

pappi 3–5 mm.

2n

= 46, 92.

= 46.

Packera streptanthifolia

Packera crocata

Phenology Flowering late May–late Aug. Flowering early Jul–mid Aug.
Habitat Forests, open meadows, valleys, dry to damp and loamy soils Wet meadows, along trails, rocky outcrops
Elevation 1000–3400 m (3300–11200 ft) 1800–3500 m (5900–11500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT; SK; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; ID; NM; NV; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Packera streptanthifolia is widespread and variable throughout the Western Cordillera. It includes weakly defined phases that have been treated as distinct species or as varieties. Characteristics used to delimit those taxa often overlap and are difficult to score; some “phases” grade into each other. Northern populations are sometimes segregated as a distinct taxon (e.g., Senecio streptanthifolia var. borealis; J. F. Bain 1988).

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

Packera crocata is characterized by deep yellow to reddish orange corollas. Some collectors have noted that there may be evidence for hybridization between P. crocata and P. dimorphophylla; the relationship between the two species needs further study.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 599. 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. obovata, P. ogotorukensis, P. pauciflora, P. paupercula, P. plattensis, P. porteri, P. pseudaurea, P. quercetorum, P. sanguisorboides, P. schweinitziana, P. spellenbergii, 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. 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
Synonyms Senecio streptanthifolius, P. streptanthifolia var. borealis, Senecio adamsii, Senecio aureus var. borealis, Senecio cognatus, Senecio cymbalarioides, Senecio cymbalarioides var. borealis, Senecio cymbalarioides var. streptanthifolius, Senecio fulgens, Senecio jonesii, Senecio leonardii, Senecio longipetiolatus, Senecio oödes, Senecio platylobus, Senecio rydbergii, Senecio streptanthifolius var. borealis, Senecio streptanthifolius var. kluanei, Senecio streptanthifolius var. laetiflorus, Senecio streptanthifolius var. oödes, Senecio streptanthifolius var. rubricaulis, Senecio streptanthifolius var. wallowensis, Senecio subcuneatus, Senecio suksdorfii, Senecio wardii Senecio crocatus, Senecio pyrrhochrous, Senecio tracyi
Name authority (Greene) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 48. (1981) (Rydberg) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 46. (1981)
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