Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange |
![]() |
TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information) |
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
|
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Annual to tree
Leaves basal or cauline, alternate to whorled, simple to compound
Inflorescence: 1° inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower, 1many, generally arrayed in cymes, generally subtended by ± calyx-like involucre; flowers 1many per head
Flowers bisexual, unisexual, or sterile, ± small, of several types; calyx 0 or modified into pappus of bristles, scales, or awns, which is generally persistent in fruit; corolla radial or bilateral (rarely 0), lobes generally (0)45; stamens 45, anthers generally fused into cylinder around style, often appendaged at tips, bases, or both, filaments generally free, generally attached to corolla near throat; pistil 1, ovary inferior, 1-chambered, 1-seeded, style 1, branches 2, generally hair-tufted at tip, stigmas 2, generally on inside of style branches
Fruit: achene, cylindric to ovoid, generally deciduous with pappus attached
Genera in family: ± 1300 genera, 21,000 species (largest family of dicots): worldwide. Largest family in CA. Also see tribal key to CA genera: Strother 1997 Madroño 44(1):128. See glossary p. 25 for illustrations of general family characteristics.
Perennial, 525 dm and ± tomentose in CA
Stems generally erect, leafy, branched, stout
Leaves basal and cauline, alternate, 310 dm in CA, 12-pinnately lobed to divided, ± spiny
Inflorescence: heads discoid, large, 1few per cyme; involucre ovoid or hemispheric; phyllaries in many overlapping series, generally ovate, leathery, entire, glabrous, tips generally triangular; receptacle flat, fleshy, bristly
Flowers many; corollas blue-purple in CA, tube very slender, throat widened abruptly, lobes linear; anther bases long-sagittate, tips oblong; style appendage long, cylindric, minutely papillate, tip barely notched
Fruit cylindric to obconic, ± 4-angled or ± compressed, glabrous, attached at base; pappus of many stiff bristles in several series, white or brownish, plumose below, fused and falling together
Species in genus: 10 species: Medit, Canary Islands
Etymology: (Greek: dog, from tooth-like phyllaries)
Introduced |
Plants 820 dm, bushy
Leaves unarmed or minutely spiny; surfaces ± densely gray-tomentose
Inflorescence: involucre 615 cm, 715 cm diam (not including tips), little narrowed above; phyllaries sometimes notched, spines 0 or weak
Flowers: corollas 45 cm
Fruit 56 mm; pappus 35.5 cm
Chromosomes: 2n=34
Ecology: Disturbed places
Elevation: < 500 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: native to s Europe
Cult for edible phyllary bases and receptacles. Intergrades with (probably derived from) C. cardunculus.