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tall Townsend daisy, tall townsendia

Gray's Townsend daisy

Habit Biennials or perennials, 6–15(–30+) cm (sometimes rhizomatous). Perennials, 1–5 cm (± pulvinate).
Stems

± erect;

internodes 6–8(–25) mm, ± strigose.

± erect;

internodes 0.1–1 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.

basal and cauline, blades spatulate to oblanceolate, 20–60+ × 2–5(–11+) mm, little, if at all, fleshy (margins strigoso-ciliate), usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely strigillose.

Involucres

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

hemispheric or broader, 8–12(–24) mm diam.

Ray florets

15–55+;

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

12–34+;

corollas usually white, sometimes pink or blue adaxially, laminae 5–10(–14+) mm, glabrous abaxially.

Disc florets

(60–)100–150+;

corollas (3.5–)4–5+ mm.

50–80+;

corollas 3.5–5.5 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.

20–28+ in 3–4+ series, the longer ± lanceolate, 5–9 mm (l/w = 3–5), apices acute, abaxial faces glabrous or sparsely strigillose.

Heads

at tips of ± leafy stems.

usually on scapiform peduncles 10–20(–70) mm, rarely sessile.

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.

2–4 mm, faces sparsely hairy (mostly at bases), hair tips glochidiform;

pappi persistent;

on ray cypselae ± 20 lanceolate to subulate scales 0.5–1.8 mm;

on disc cypselae 15–35 subulate to setiform scales (4–)5–7 mm.

2n

= 18.

Townsendia eximia

Townsendia glabella

Phenology Flowering (May–)Jul–Aug(–Oct). Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Gravelly banks, canyon walls, with junipers, pinyons, and yellow pines Shale slopes with pines
Elevation (1900–)2100–2500(–3300) m ((6200–)6900–8200(–10800) ft) 2100–2600 m (6900–8500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; NM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Distinctions between Townsendia glabella and T. rothrockii are subtle. Types of the two names are probably better considered to be conspecific.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 197. FNA vol. 20, p. 203.
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. annua, T. aprica, T. condensata, T. eximia, T. exscapa, T. fendleri, T. florifera, T. formosa, 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) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 16: 86. (1881)
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