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. |
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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.
Subshrubs, appearing glabrous
Stems decumbent, widely spreading or erect, striate; old growth gray, bark sometimes shreddy with age; new growth white below, tips green
Leaves simple, sometimes in axillary clusters below, spreading-ascending to appressed-erect, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, generally minutely spine-tipped, pale green to light gray-green
Inflorescence: heads radiate or discoid, 1many in rounded to ± flat-topped clusters, very small in bud, expanding rapidly in fruit; involucres widely bell-shaped to nearly spheric; phyllaries 2024 in 23 series, ovate to ovate-elliptic, bases cream-yellow, tips green, margins scarious; receptacle deeply pitted, with projections between flowers but not chaffy
Ray flowers present or 0; ligules yellow
Disk flowers many; corollas funnel-shaped, yellow, sinuses deep, lobes spreading to reflexed, style-branch appendages lanceolate
Fruit densely long-hairy, hairs white, bronze, or brownish; pappus of 2025 wide, stiff, widely spreading bristles, slightly > fruit
Species in genus: 2 species: sw US
Etymology: (Greek: unbending pappus)
Reference: [Lane 1988 Madroño 35:247265]