Sphaeromeria
chickensage, false sagebrush
1–5+ (with interxylary cork), lax to erect, branched from bases or throughout, glabrous or sericeous to tomentose (hairs medifixed), usually gland-dotted as well.
mostly basal (sometimes in rosettes) or basal and cauline; alternate;
petiolate or sessile;
blades obovate to cuneate or linear, usually 1–2-pinnately or -palmately lobed (ultimate lobes oblanceolate to linear) or apically 3-toothed or -lobed, ultimate margins entire, faces glabrous or ± sericeous to tomentose and usually gland-dotted.
hemispheric to campanulate, 3–5(–12) mm diam.
conic to nearly flat (villous in S. potentilloides), epaleate.
0 (peripheral pistillate florets 4–15+; corollas ± filiform, lobes usually 3).
30–50+, bisexual, fertile;
corollas usually bright yellow (ochroleucous in S. cana), tubes ± cylindric, throats ± campanulate, lobes 5, ± deltate (tips glabrous or hairy).
persistent, (8–)12–20+ in 2–3+ series, mostly obovate, unequal to subequal, margins and apices (colorless, pinkish, or brownish) scarious.
disciform, borne singly or (2–60+) in usually corymbiform, rarely paniculiform, arrays or in subcapitate clusters.
columnar or obovoid to obconic, ribs 2–3 or 5–10, faces glabrous or gland-dotted (pericarps with myxogenic cells only in S. potentilloides, without resin sacs);
pappi usually 0 (of 3–5 subulate scales in S. compacta).
= 9.
Sphaeromeria
Species 9 (8 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Receptacles villous; cypselae becoming mucilaginous when wet | S. potentilloides |
1. Receptacles glabrous; cypselae not mucilaginous when wet | → 2 |
2. Subshrubs, 20–70 cm; leaves mostly cauline (not forming basal clusters) | → 3 |
2. Perennials, 1–20 cm (often cespitose); leaves mostly basal (commonly forming clusters) | → 5 |
3. Corollas ochroleucous, lobes villous | S. cana |
3. Corollas yellow, lobes glabrous or gland-dotted | → 4 |
4. Leaves glabrous; heads 5–20 in corymbiform or subumbelliform arrays (as wide as or wider than long) | S. diversifolia |
4. Leaves tomentose; heads (8–)10–30(–60) in paniculiform arrays (longer than wide) | S. ruthiae |
5. Heads 1–7 (S. argentea) or 8–20 | → 6 |
5. Heads 1–3(–5) | → 7 |
6. Leaf blades (± cuneate, 7–15 mm) entire or apices 3(–5)-toothed or -lobed, faces silvery-canescent; heads usually in subcapitate to corymbiform arrays (1–1.5 cm across), sometimes borne singly | S. argentea |
6. Leaf blades (± cuneate, 8–20 mm) usually 1–2-pinnati-palmately lobed (ultimate lobes ± linear), faces ± tomentose; heads in tight, capitate arrays (1–1.3 cm across) | S. capitata |
7. Leaves: blades (10–25 mm) pinnati-palmately lobed (lobes 3–6+, ± oblanceolate to linear) or linear, faces sericeous (pappi of 3–5, subulate scales) | S. compacta |
7. Leaves: blades (15–30 × 1.5–8 mm) pinnati-palmately lobed (lobes 2–3, linear, 1–2 mm wide) or linear, faces silvery-canescent | S. simplex |
CA
OR
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
