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.

ACOURTIA

Perennial
Stems erect or spreading
Leaves simple, alternate, sessile, pinnately veined
Inflorescence: heads discoid but often appearing radiate, solitary to many in panicles; involucre cylindric to bell-shaped; phyllaries graduated in several series; receptacle naked
Flowers few–many; corollas white to pink or purple, strongly 2-lipped, inner lip deeply 2-lobed, recurved or coiled, outer lip entire to shallowly 3-lobed, spreading, ligule-like; anther tips lance-oblong, basal appendages stiff, tail-like; style tips rounded to truncate
Fruit cylindric, ribbed, glandular; pappus of many bristles
Species in genus: ± 40 species: North America
Etymology: (Mrs. A'Court, English amateur botanist)
Reference: [Reveal & King 1973 Phytologia 27:228–232]

Native

A. microcephala DC.

Stems several from woody caudex, 6–16 dm, very leafy, generally branched only in upper half
Leaves 2.5–15 cm, widely ovate to elliptic or oblong; base truncate to widely clasping; tip acute to widely obtuse, finely dentate; surfaces densely glandular
Inflorescence: heads many; peduncles 1–10 mm; involucre 5–10 mm diam; phyllaries 7–10 mm, linear to lanceolate, acute or obtuse, glandular
Flowers 10–20; corollas 8–11 mm, white to pink-purple
Fruit 1.5–4 mm; pappus 7–10 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=54
Ecology: Shrubby and wooded slopes, especially after fires
Elevation: < 1550 m.
Bioregional distribution: South Coast Ranges, Southwestern California
Distribution outside California: nw Baja California
Synonyms: Perezia m. (DC.) A. Gray
Horticultural information: STBL.