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	©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California

ASTERACEAE

SUNFLOWER FAMILY

David J. Keil, Family Editor and author, except as specified

Annual to tree
Leaves basal or cauline, alternate to whorled, simple to compound
Inflorescence: 1° inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower, 1–many, generally arrayed in cymes, generally subtended by ± calyx-like involucre; flowers 1–many 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)4–5; stamens 4–5, 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):1–28. See glossary p. 25 for illustrations of general family characteristics.

ISOCOMA

GOLDENBUSH

Meredith A. Lane

Subshrubs, glabrous to scabrous or hairy
Stems prostrate or decumbent to ascending or erect, < 3 m, ± striate below, minutely scabrous, yellow-white or gray to red-brown
Leaves alternate, sometimes clustered in axils, entire or toothed, gland-dotted, sometimes gummy, glabrous, minutely scabrous, or tomentose, light to dark gray-green
Inflorescence: heads discoid, in loose to tight clusters, these borne in flat-topped or ± spheric cymes; involucres obconic; phyllaries yellow-white below, texture cartilage-like, tips green; receptacles flat, naked
Flowers yellow; tubes narrowly cylindric, abruptly expanded into larger cylindric throat; sinuses shallow, lobes erect; style branch appendages triangular
Fruit narrowly obconic, light tan, silky-hairy; hairs white, yellow, tan, or light red-tan; pappus of 1–2 series of white, yellowish, or red-tan bristles ± 2 X fruit
Species in genus: ± 10 species: sw North America, Mex
Etymology: (Greek: equal hair-tuft, from flowers)
Reference: [Nesom 1991 Phytologia 70:69–114]