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sword Townsend daisy

annual Easter daisy, annual Townsend daisy

Habit Perennials, 1–2 cm (usually ± pulvinate). Annuals, 3–12(–16+) cm.
Stems

± erect;

internodes 0.1–1 mm, ± villous.

decumbent to erect;

internodes (1–)3–12(–18+) mm, strigose.

Leaves

basal and cauline, ± spatulate, 7–10(–20) × 1.5–2(–4) mm little, it at all, fleshy, faces ± villous or sericeous.

mostly cauline, blades spatulate to narrowly oblanceolate, 8–12(–25+) × 1–3(–5+) mm, not fleshy, faces ± strigillose.

Involucres

± urceolate, 6–12(–16) mm diam.

± hemispheric, 8–12(–16) mm diam.

Ray florets

12–30+;

corollas white to pinkish adaxially, laminae 3–12 mm, abaxially usually glandular-puberulent, sometimes glabrous.

12–30+;

corollas white or pinkish to lavender adaxially, laminae 5–8+ mm, glabrous abaxially.

Disc florets

16–30+;

corollas 4–5+ mm.

60–120+;

corollas 2.5–3.5+ mm.

Phyllaries

16–24+ in 3–4 series, the longer lance-ovate to lanceolate, 6–8(–9) mm (l/w = 4–7), apices usually acute, sometimes attenuate, abaxial faces ± villous to strigillose.

26–30+ in 3+ series, the longer ± lance-ovate to oblanceolate, 5–6+ mm (l/w = 2.5–5), apices acute, abaxial faces strigillose to glabrate.

Heads

± sessile.

at tips of stems.

Cypselae

2.5–4 mm, faces hairy, hair tips glochidiform or forked;

pappi readily falling, of 14–30 subulate to setiform scales 4.5–6+ mm (± connate basally).

2–3 mm, faces hairy, hair tips glochidiform;

pappi persistent;

on ray cypselae ± 10 lanceolate scales 0.2–0.5(–1) mm;

on disc cypselae 20+ subulate scales 1–2.5(–4) mm.

2n

= 18.

Townsendia spathulata

Townsendia annua

Phenology Flowering May–Jun. Flowering Apr–Jun(–Oct).
Habitat Open ridges Sandy soils, alkaline flats, red clays
Elevation 1600–2300 m (5200–7500 ft) 1200–2100 m (3900–6900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
MT; WY
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[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; TX; UT; WY
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The type of Townsendia annua may prove to be conspecific with that of T. strigosa.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 196. 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. leptotes, T. mensana, T. microcephala, T. minima, T. montana, T. parryi, T. rothrockii, T. scapigera, T. smithii, T. strigosa, T. texensis
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. scapigera, T. smithii, T. spathulata, T. strigosa, T. texensis
Name authority Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 305. (1840) Beaman: Contr. Gray Herb. 183: 132, plate 22, fig. 4. (1957)
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