| 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, 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.
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, 1–many; 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 |
Perennial 5–22 dm, thinly to densely tomentose, glandular
Stem 1–several
Leaves generally very strongly wavy; lower 1–7 dm, petioles spiny-lobed or toothed, blades shallowly to deeply 1–2 X lobed and dentate, main spines 1–10 mm, abrupt; cauline gradually reduced, well-distributed, ± lobed, upper clasping (bases expanded, ear-like), sometimes short-decurrent, spines often 10–12 mm
Inflorescence: heads ± grouped in panicle-like cluster, ± nodding, closely subtended by uppermost leaves; peduncles 0–7 cm; involucres hemispheric or bell-shaped, green to purple, 1.5–3 cm, 2–4.5 cm diam; phyllaries lanceolate to ovate, spreading to reflexed, spines 1–5 mm
Flowers: corollas 20–22 mm, white to pink or lavender
Fruit 4–5 mm, ± brown; pappus 12–15 mm
Ecology: Serpentine seeps and streams
Elevation: < 750 m.
Bioregional distribution: San Francisco Bay Area, c Outer South Coast Ranges.