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Rothrock's Townsend daisy, Rothrock's townsendia

Habit Biennials (perhaps flowering first year, sometimes persisting), 3–12(–15+) cm. Perennials, 1–3 cm (± pulvinate).
Stems

decumbent to erect;

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

± erect;

internodes 0.1–1+ mm, glabrous or ± strigose.

Leaves

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

basal and cauline, ± spatulate to oblanceolate, 10–35 × 2–7 mm, ± fleshy, faces sparsely strigose or glabrous.

Involucres

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

± hemispheric, 12–28+ mm diam.

Ray florets

13–34+;

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

18–40;

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

Disc florets

(80–)100–150+;

corollas (4–)5.5–6+ mm.

60–100+;

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.

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 stems.

± sessile or on peduncles 5–25+ mm.

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.

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

= 18.

= 36 (apomicts).

Townsendia florifera

Townsendia rothrockii

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun(–Aug). Flowering Aug.
Habitat Gravelly flats with junipers and sagebrush South slopes
Elevation 400–2300 m (1300–7500 ft) 3600–4000 m (11800–13100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
from FNA
CO
[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.)

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. 198. FNA vol. 20, p. 202.
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. 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
Synonyms Erigeron florifer, T. florifera var. watsonii
Name authority (Hooker) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 16: 84. (1880) A. Gray ex Rothrock: Rep. U.S. Geogr. Surv., Wheeler 6: 148. (1879)
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