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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.

LESSINGIA

Meredith A. Lane

Annual, perennial herb, subshrubs, decumbent to erect, taprooted
Stems simple or branched from base or above
Leaves simple, entire to pinnately lobed; basal petioled, ovate to spoon-shaped; cauline reduced upward, sessile, (ob)lanceolate to (ob)ovate
Inflorescence: heads radiate or discoid, terminal, solitary or clustered; involucres hemispheric, bell-shaped, obconic, or cylindric; phyllaries in 4–9 series, thin to tough but flexible, tips green or tinged purplish; receptacle concave, naked, shallowly pitted
Ray flowers present or 0, fertile or sterile; corollas yellow or white to purple
Disk flowers generally fertile (except L. occidentalis); corollas yellow, violet, purple, pink, or white, funnel-shaped to cylindric, marginal ones in rayless heads often enlarged and bilateral, deeply lobed on inner side, lobes spreading from head center; style appendages flat, triangular, awl-shaped, or cusped
Fruit obconic, mottled purple-brown; hairs dense, appressed, silky; pappus 0 in ray flowers, in disk flowers of many bristles, these free or fused at base, or fused throughout into awns, white, tan, or red-brown
Species in genus: 14 species: CA; NV, AZ, n Baja CA
Etymology: (C.F. Lessing, 1809–1862, German specialist in Asteraceae)
Incl CA sp. previously treated in Benitoa and Corethrogyne.

Native

L. filaginifolia (Hook. & Arn.) M.A. Lane

CALIFORNIA-ASTER

Perennial, subshrubs; herbage generally densely white-tomentose, sometimes mostly glabrous or glandular above
Stems erect to decumbent or trailing, < 1 m
Leaves < 7 cm, linear to (ob)ovate, often toothed, reduced and sessile upwards
Inflorescence: heads radiate, solitary or tightly clustered, terminal; involucres 6–13 mm, obconic or bell-shaped to hemispheric; phyllaries linear to narrowly lanceolate, tips often purplish, becoming reflexed when fruits mature
Ray flowers 10–43, sterile; ligules purple, pink, or white
Disk flowers 12–120+; corollas tubular, yellow
Fruit < 5 mm; pappus 3–8 mm, bristles free, red-brown
Chromosomes: 2n=10
Ecology: Widespread in coastal scrub, oak woodlands, grasslands
Elevation: < 2600 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Klamath Ranges, Outer North Coast Ranges, s Sierra Nevada, San Joaquin Valley, Central Western California, Southwestern California
Distribution outside California: sw Oregon, n Baja California
Highly variable sp.; further division requires additional research. Varieties intergrade.

Native

var. californica (DC.) M.A. Lane


Stems generally decumbent to ascending, generally unbranched above, < 6 dm
Leaves obovate, often long-tapered, toothed
Inflorescence: heads generally solitary; involucres 5–10 mm, as long as wide at flower; phyllaries in 3–5 series
Disk flowers 30–120+; corollas 6–8 mm
Ecology: Coastal scrub, oak woodlands, grasslands
Elevation: < 1000 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Klamath Ranges, Outer North Coast Ranges, Central Western California
Distribution outside California: sw Oregon
Synonyms: Corethrogyne c. DC, including vars. lyonii S.F. Blake and obovata (Benth.) Kuntze
Horticultural information: SUN, IRR: 14, 16.

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