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. |
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.
Annual to perennial herb (sometimes short-lived, dying after flowering once)
Stem generally erect
Leaves: lower generally tapered or petioled, often wavy-margined, generally pinnately lobed, ± dentate, lobes and teeth spine-tipped, margin generally spiny-ciliate, glabrous to tomentose; upper generally sessile, ± reduced
Inflorescence: heads discoid, 1many; involucre cylindric to spheric; phyllaries many, graduated in several series, outer spine-tipped; receptacle flat, long-bristly
Flowers generally many; corollas ± bilateral, white to red or purple, tube long, slender, lobes linear; anther bases sharply sagittate, tips oblong; style tip with slightly swollen node, appendage (above node) long, cylindric, branches very short
Fruit ovoid, glabrous; scar slightly angled; pappus bristles many, plumose, ± persistent or falling in ring
Species in genus: ± 200 species: North America, Eurasia
Etymology: (Greek: thistle)
Taxa difficult, incompletely differentiated, hybridize.
Native |
Biennial (or short-lived perennial herb) 620 dm
Stem generally much-branched below, ± fleshy, thinly cobwebby, soon becoming glabrous
Leaves thinly cobwebby above, becoming glabrous, gray-cobwebby-tomentose below; lower 37.5 dm, generally 12 X lobed, main spines 29 mm; middle and upper smaller, clasping, bases wide, spiny-margined, ear-like; uppermost much reduced, generally very spiny, spines < 15 mm
Inflorescence: heads 1few in loose cymes, closely subtended by upper leaves, sessile or peduncles < 7 cm; involucres 1.53 cm, 1.55 cm diam, ovoid to hemispheric or bell-shaped, densely cobwebby; phyllaries ± linear, tips widely spreading, spines 515 mm, outer and middle spiny-ciliate, inner with tips flat, straight
Flowers: corollas 1724 mm, dark reddish purple, tube 811 mm, throat 3.56 mm, lobes 57 mm
Fruit 45 mm, dark brown, ± compressed; pappus ± 15 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=32
Ecology: UNCOMMON. Bluffs, ravines, seeps, sometimes on serpentine
Elevation: < 100 m.
Bioregional distribution: s North Coast, n Central Coast
Horticultural information: TRY; DFCLT.