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common Townsend daisy, common townsendia, slender townsendia

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

± erect;

internodes 0.1–1 mm, strigose.

decumbent to erect;

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

Leaves

basal and cauline, blades spatulate to narrowly obovate, (8–)12–25(–40+) × 1–2(–3+) mm, ± fleshy, faces ± strigose to strigillose or glabrate.

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

Involucres

± campanulate, 8–12(–20+) mm diam.

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

Ray florets

13–34+;

corollas usually white or pinkish, seldom blue, adaxially, laminae 5–7(–12+) mm, abaxially usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely glandular-puberulent.

13–34+;

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

Disc florets

40–80+;

corollas 4–6+ mm.

(80–)100–150+;

corollas (4–)5.5–6+ mm.

Phyllaries

40–50+ in 4–5+ series, the longer ± lanceolate, 7–9(–12) mm (l/w = 2.5–5), apices acute to attenuate, abaxial faces sparsely strigose or glabrous.

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

Heads

usually ± sessile, rarely on scapiform peduncles 5–15+ mm.

at tips of stems.

Cypselae

3+ mm, faces glabrous or sparsely hairy (hairs mostly at bases), hair tips glochidiform;

pappi persistent;

on ray cypselae ca. 25 lanceolate or subulate to setiform scales 0–1 or 5–8 mm;

on disc cypselae ca. 30 subulate to setiform scales 5–8 mm.

(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.

2n

= 18.

= 18.

Townsendia leptotes

Townsendia florifera

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul. Flowering Apr–Jun(–Aug).
Habitat Rocky ridges, sandy slopes Gravelly flats with junipers and sagebrush
Elevation (2300–)2900–3800 m ((7500–)9500–12500 ft) 400–2300 m (1300–7500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
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. 203. FNA vol. 20, p. 198.
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. florifera, T. formosa, T. glabella, T. grandiflora, T. gypsophila, T. hookeri, T. incana, T. jonesii, 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. 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 T. sericea var. leptotes Erigeron florifer, T. florifera var. watsonii
Name authority (A. Gray) Osterhout: Muhlenbergia 4: 69. (1908) (Hooker) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 16: 84. (1880)
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