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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.

MICROSERIS

Kenton L. Chambers

Annual or perennial herb, ± mealy (hairs drying as minute white scales); sap milky
Leaves mostly basal, generally linear to (ob)lanceolate, generally variably entire to pinnately lobed
Inflorescence: heads solitary, ligulate, ± nodding in bud; involucre generally fusiform to spheric; phyllaries in 2–several series, outer overlapping, inner often ± black-hairy; receptacle naked
Flowers 5–many; corollas white to orange, often reddish below, ligules = to >> involucre, readily withering
Fruit cylindric to fusiform, generally square-topped, not beaked; ribs ± 10, ± scabrous; pappus of generally 5–many ± lanceolate, bristle-tipped scales
Etymology: (Greek: small chicory)
Reference: [Chambers Contr Dudley Herb Stanford U: 1955 4:207–312 & 1957 5:57–68]
Hybridization common. Self-pollinating (annual) or self-incompatible and ± complex (perennial herb).

Native

M. paludosa (Greene) J.T. Howell

Perennial 15–70 cm, generally branched and leafy only near base
Leaf 5–35 cm
Inflorescence: involucre 10–20 mm, generally mealy and ± black-hairy; outer phyllaries narrowly ovate, tapered, not recurved, < inner
Flowers 25–70; ligules yellow
Fruits 4–7 mm, not wider at tip, straw-colored or dull white, smooth or outermost fruits scabrous on ribs; pappus scales 2–4 mm, brownish, bristles 6–9 mm, barbed
Chromosomes: 2n=18
Ecology: Uncommon. Moist grassland or open woods
Elevation: < 300 m.
Bioregional distribution: Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area.Like M. laciniata subsp. leptosepala except pappus.

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