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tall Townsend daisy, tall townsendia

Rothrock's Townsend daisy, Rothrock's townsendia

Habit Biennials or perennials, 6–15(–30+) cm (sometimes rhizomatous). Perennials, 1–3 cm (± pulvinate).
Stems

± erect;

internodes 6–8(–25) mm, ± strigose.

± erect;

internodes 0.1–1+ mm, glabrous or ± 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, ± spatulate to oblanceolate, 10–35 × 2–7 mm, ± fleshy, faces sparsely strigose or glabrous.

Involucres

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

± hemispheric, 12–28+ mm diam.

Ray florets

15–55+;

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

18–40;

corollas blue to purplish adaxially, laminae 8–16 mm, glabrous abaxially.

Disc florets

(60–)100–150+;

corollas (3.5–)4–5+ mm.

60–100+;

corollas 3.5–4.5+ 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.

40–60+ in (3–)4–5+ series, the longer obovate to oblanceolate, 7–9+ mm (l/w = 2.5–5), apices obtuse to acute, abaxial faces glabrous.

Heads

at tips of ± leafy stems.

± sessile or on peduncles 5–25+ mm.

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.

4 mm, faces nearly glabrous (discs) or sparsely hairy (ray, hairs mostly at bases), hair tips glochidiform;

pappi persistent;

on ray cypselae 12–20 lanceolate to subulate scales 0.5–1.5 mm;

on disc cypselae 15–30 subulate to setiform scales 3–6 mm.

2n

= 36 (apomicts).

Townsendia eximia

Townsendia rothrockii

Phenology Flowering (May–)Jul–Aug(–Oct). Flowering Aug.
Habitat Gravelly banks, canyon walls, with junipers, pinyons, and yellow pines South slopes
Elevation (1900–)2100–2500(–3300) m ((6200–)6900–8200(–10800) ft) 3600–4000 m (11800–13100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; NM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

The types of Townsendia rothrockii and T. glabella may be conspecific.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 197. FNA vol. 20, p. 202.
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. glabella, T. grandiflora, T. gypsophila, T. hookeri, T. incana, T. jonesii, T. leptotes, T. mensana, T. microcephala, T. minima, T. montana, T. parryi, 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 ex Rothrock: Rep. U.S. Geogr. Surv., Wheeler 6: 148. (1879)
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