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chinchweed, common chinchweed, manybristle chinchweed

sand dune chinchweed

Habit Annuals, 1–30 cm (often forming rounded bushes); herbage spicy-scented. Annuals or perennials, 2–50 cm (across or high); herbage spicy-scented.
Stems

ascending, glabrous or puberulent.

prostrate to erect, usually sparsely to densely puberulent (sometimes in decurrent lines), sometimes glabrate.

Leaves

linear, 10–60 × 1–2 mm, margins with 1–3 pairs of setae, faces glabrous (dotted on margins with round to oval oil-glands 0.3–0.5 mm).

narrowly linear, 10–35 × 0.2–1.8 mm, margins with 1–5 pairs of setae 1–2 mm, faces glabrous (abaxial submarginally dotted with broadly elliptic to circular oil-glands 0.2–0.3 mm, sometimes with additional, scattered oil-glands).

Peduncles

3–40 mm.

filiform, (3–)7–35(–54) mm.

Involucres

campanulate to cylindric.

cylindric.

Ray florets

(7–)8(–10);

corollas 3–8 mm.

5;

corollas 3.5–5 mm.

Disc florets

6–34;

corollas 2–5.5 mm (weakly 2-lipped, glabrous or glandular-puberulent).

3–7;

corollas 2–3 mm (2-lipped).

Phyllaries

distinct, linear, 3–8 × 0.5–1.7 mm (dotted with 1–5 subterminal oil-glands plus 2–5 pairs of submarginal oil-glands).

distinct, linear-oblanceolate, 4–5 × 0.8–1 mm (dotted with 1–2 elliptic, subapical oil-glands 0.2–0.3 mm, sometimes with additional, smaller submarginal or scattered oil-glands).

Heads

in congested or open, cymiform arrays.

borne singly or in diffuse, cymiform arrays.

Cypselae

2–5.5 mm, strigillose to short-pilose (hair tips curled, bulbous);

ray pappi usually coroniform, rarely of 1+ awns or bristles 1–4 mm;

disc pappi usually of 16–24, subplumose bristles 1.5–4 mm, rarely coroniform.

2.5–3 mm, strigillose;

pappi of 0–5, antrorsely scabrid bristles or slender scales 1–2 mm plus 0–5 entire or irregularly lacerate scales 0.2–0.7 mm.

2n

= 48.

Pectis papposa

Pectis glaucescens

Phenology Flowering year round.
Habitat Sandy or gravelly soils, grassy areas, openings in pinelands, scrub, roadsides
Elevation 0–50 m (0–200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NM; NV; TX; UT; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; West Indies (Bahamas, Hispaniola, Jamaica)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Pectis papposa generally flowers following summer monsoon rains in the desert of southwestern United States and northern Mexico. In favorable years, it becomes an aspect dominant, coloring wide areas of the desert with its bright yellow heads.

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

Pectis glaucescens is widespread in southern Florida and the Bahamas. Human disturbances, especially road constructions, have created habitats suitable for it. It grows most commonly on limestone soils in open, grassy sites. Occasionally, it is a lawn weed.

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

Key
1. Phyllaries 3–5 mm; disc florets 6–14(–18); disc pappi 1–2.5 mm
var. papposa
1. Phyllaries 5–8 mm; disc florets 12–24(–34); disc pappi 2.5–4 mm
var. grandis
Source FNA vol. 21, p. 227. FNA vol. 21, p. 225.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Pectidinae > Pectis Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Pectidinae > Pectis
Sibling taxa
P. angustifolia, P. cylindrica, P. filipes, P. glaucescens, P. humifusa, P. imberbis, P. linearifolia, P. linifolia, P. longipes, P. prostrata, P. rusbyi, P. ×floridana
P. angustifolia, P. cylindrica, P. filipes, P. humifusa, P. imberbis, P. linearifolia, P. linifolia, P. longipes, P. papposa, P. prostrata, P. rusbyi, P. ×floridana
Subordinate taxa
P. papposa var. grandis, P. papposa var. papposa
Synonyms Chthonia glaucescens, P. leptocephala, P. lessingii
Name authority Harvey & A. Gray: Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, n. s. 4: 62. (1849) (Cassini) D. J. Keil: Sida 11: 386. (1986)
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