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Rothrock's Townsend daisy, Rothrock's townsendia

ground townsendia, tuft Townsend daisy, tuft townsendia

Habit Perennials, 1–3 cm (± pulvinate).
Stems

± erect;

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

± erect;

internodes 0.1–1 mm, ± strigose.

Leaves

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

basal and cauline, blades ± spatulate to oblanceolate, 15–30(–70) × 2–5(–9) mm, not fleshy, faces ± strigose.

Involucres

± hemispheric, 12–28+ mm diam.

± campanulate, 12–20(–32) mm diam.

Ray florets

18–40;

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

18–35;

corollas white adaxially, laminae 7–16 mm, glandular-puberulent abaxially.

Disc florets

60–100+;

corollas 3.5–4.5+ mm.

40–100+;

corollas 3.5–5.5 mm.

Phyllaries

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.

16–32+ in 3–4+ series, the longer ± lanceolate, (7–)9–13 mm (l/w = 3–5), apices acute, abaxial faces piloso-strigose to strigose.

Heads

± sessile or on peduncles 5–25+ mm.

on scapiform peduncles 30–60(–120) mm.

Cypselae

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.

4–5.5 mm, faces hairy, hair tips forked or entire;

pappi persistent;

on ray cypselae 20–30+ subulate to setiform scales 3–6+ mm;

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

2n

= 36 (apomicts).

Townsendia rothrockii

Townsendia scapigera

Phenology Flowering Aug. Flowering May–Jul(–Aug).
Habitat South slopes Openings in sagebrush
Elevation 3600–4000 m (11800–13100 ft) 1400–3400 m (4600–11200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; UT
[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.)

Plants that key here and have peduncles 5–15+ mm (sporting smaller heads, fewer ray florets, and smaller cypselae than are characteristic of Townsendia scapigera) may belong to T. jonesii (which see). Plants included here in T. scapigera from Sweetwater Mountains, California, with relatively large heads and high numbers of florets were identified on their labels (e.g., DeDecker 3928, RSA) as T. parryi, a species not known to occur in California.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 202. FNA vol. 20, p. 201.
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. leptotes, T. mensana, T. microcephala, T. minima, T. montana, T. parryi, 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. rothrockii, T. smithii, T. spathulata, T. strigosa, T. texensis
Name authority A. Gray ex Rothrock: Rep. U.S. Geogr. Surv., Wheeler 6: 148. (1879) D. C. Eaton: in S. Watson, Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 145, plate 17, figs. 1–7. (1871)
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