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tall Townsend daisy, tall townsendia

Habit Biennials (perhaps flowering first year, sometimes persisting), 3–12(–15+) cm. Biennials or perennials, 6–15(–30+) cm (sometimes rhizomatous).
Stems

decumbent to erect;

internodes 3–12(–15+) mm, piloso-strigose.

± erect;

internodes 6–8(–25) mm, ± strigose.

Leaves

basal and cauline, blades spatulate to linear, 10–25(–50+) × 2–3(–8+) mm, not fleshy, faces ± strigose.

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

Involucres

± hemispheric or broader, 16–20(–30) mm diam.

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

Ray florets

13–34+;

corollas white or pinkish adaxially, laminae (8–)10–18+ mm, abaxially usually glandular-puberulent, rarely glabrous.

15–55+;

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

Disc florets

(80–)100–150+;

corollas (4–)5.5–6+ mm.

(60–)100–150+;

corollas (3.5–)4–5+ mm.

Phyllaries

24–30+ in 3–4+ series, the longer ± lanceolate, (6–)9–11+ mm (l/w = 2.5–5), apices acute, abaxial faces strigose.

(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.

Heads

at tips of stems.

at tips of ± leafy stems.

Cypselae

(3.5–)4–5+ mm, faces hairy, hair tips entire or forked;

pappi persistent;

on ray cypselae 20–30 subulate to setiform scales 2–6 mm;

on disc cypselae 20–30+ subulate to setiform scales (4–)5–7+ mm.

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.

2n

= 18.

Townsendia florifera

Townsendia eximia

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun(–Aug). Flowering (May–)Jul–Aug(–Oct).
Habitat Gravelly flats with junipers and sagebrush Gravelly banks, canyon walls, with junipers, pinyons, and yellow pines
Elevation 400–2300 m (1300–7500 ft) (1900–)2100–2500(–3300) m ((6200–)6900–8200(–10800) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
from FNA
CO; NM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

J. H. Beaman (1957) considered plants intermediate between Townsendia florifera and T. parryi to be hybrids. Such intermediates occur in Montana (e.g., Jones in 1905 from Gallatin Co. and Suksdorf 282 from Park Co.), outside the known distribution of T. florifera.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 198. FNA vol. 20, p. 197.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Townsendia Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Townsendia
Sibling taxa
T. annua, T. aprica, T. condensata, T. eximia, T. exscapa, T. fendleri, 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. 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
Synonyms Erigeron florifer, T. florifera var. watsonii
Name authority (Hooker) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 16: 84. (1880) A. Gray: Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, n. s. 4: 70. (1849)
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