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tall Townsend daisy, tall townsendia

annual Easter daisy, annual Townsend daisy

Habit Biennials or perennials, 6–15(–30+) cm (sometimes rhizomatous). Annuals, 3–12(–16+) cm.
Stems

± erect;

internodes 6–8(–25) mm, ± strigose.

decumbent to erect;

internodes (1–)3–12(–18+) mm, strigose.

Leaves

basal and cauline, blades spatulate to oblanceolate, 15–60(–120+) × 2–6(–10) mm (margins strigoso-ciliate), faces usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely strigillose.

mostly cauline, blades spatulate to narrowly oblanceolate, 8–12(–25+) × 1–3(–5+) mm, not fleshy, faces ± strigillose.

Involucres

hemispheric or broader, (8–)12–25+ mm diam.

± hemispheric, 8–12(–16) mm diam.

Ray florets

15–55+;

corollas usually blue adaxially, laminae 12–20 mm, glabrous abaxially.

12–30+;

corollas white or pinkish to lavender adaxially, laminae 5–8+ mm, glabrous abaxially.

Disc florets

(60–)100–150+;

corollas (3.5–)4–5+ mm.

60–120+;

corollas 2.5–3.5+ mm.

Phyllaries

(30–)60–80+ in (4–)5–6+ series, the longer ± lanceolate, (7–)12–13+ mm (l/w = 3–5), apices acute to attenuate (most hard, apiculate), abaxial faces sparsely strigillose or glabrous.

26–30+ in 3+ series, the longer ± lance-ovate to oblanceolate, 5–6+ mm (l/w = 2.5–5), apices acute, abaxial faces strigillose to glabrate.

Heads

at tips of ± leafy stems.

at tips of stems.

Cypselae

3–4+ mm, faces ± hairy, hair tips forked or glochidiform;

pappi persistent;

on ray cypselae each a corona 0.1–0.5 mm;

on disc cypselae each of 8–12+ lanceolate scales 0.5–1 mm plus 1–2+ subulate to setiform scales 1–4 mm.

2–3 mm, faces hairy, hair tips glochidiform;

pappi persistent;

on ray cypselae ± 10 lanceolate scales 0.2–0.5(–1) mm;

on disc cypselae 20+ subulate scales 1–2.5(–4) mm.

2n

= 18.

Townsendia eximia

Townsendia annua

Phenology Flowering (May–)Jul–Aug(–Oct). Flowering Apr–Jun(–Oct).
Habitat Gravelly banks, canyon walls, with junipers, pinyons, and yellow pines Sandy soils, alkaline flats, red clays
Elevation (1900–)2100–2500(–3300) m ((6200–)6900–8200(–10800) ft) 1200–2100 m (3900–6900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; NM
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from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; TX; UT; WY
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Discussion

The type of Townsendia annua may prove to be conspecific with that of T. strigosa.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 197. FNA vol. 20, p. 198.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Townsendia Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Townsendia
Sibling taxa
T. annua, T. aprica, T. condensata, T. exscapa, T. fendleri, T. florifera, T. formosa, T. glabella, T. grandiflora, T. gypsophila, T. hookeri, T. incana, T. jonesii, T. leptotes, T. mensana, T. microcephala, T. minima, T. montana, T. parryi, T. rothrockii, T. scapigera, T. smithii, T. spathulata, T. strigosa, T. texensis
T. aprica, T. condensata, T. eximia, T. exscapa, T. fendleri, T. florifera, T. formosa, T. glabella, T. grandiflora, T. gypsophila, T. hookeri, T. incana, T. jonesii, T. leptotes, T. mensana, T. microcephala, T. minima, T. montana, T. parryi, T. rothrockii, T. scapigera, T. smithii, T. spathulata, T. strigosa, T. texensis
Name authority A. Gray: Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, n. s. 4: 70. (1849) Beaman: Contr. Gray Herb. 183: 132, plate 22, fig. 4. (1957)
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