TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
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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 from stout caudex, subscapose
Stems densely leafy at base, leafless above
Leaves basal and closely alternate, simple, petioled or sessile, entire, 3-veined
Inflorescence: heads radiate or discoid, solitary; peduncles long; involucre hemispheric; phyllaries in 23 series, free; receptacle chaffy, scales folded around fruits and falling with them
Ray flowers sterile; style 0; ligules yellow
Disk flowers many; corollas yellow, tube slender, throat abruptly expanded, lobes triangular; anther tips ovate, ± acute; style tips triangular
Fruit strongly compressed, wedge-shaped; edges ± white, corky, glabrous or long-ciliate; faces black, glabrous or ± hairy; pappus of 2 narrow awns and a crown of shorter scales
Species in genus: 3 species: w North America
Etymology: (Greek: like Encelia)