| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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Jepson Interchange (more information) |
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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 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 |
Annual 5–60 cm, scapose
Leaf 3–25 cm
Inflorescence: involucre 7–16 mm; outer phyllaries deltate, << inner
Flowers 5–100+; ligules yellow or white
Fruit 3–10 mm, gray to brown or blackish, often dark-spotted; outermost fruits generally hairy; pappus scales < or = 5, 0.5–6.5 mm, silvery to blackish, often hairy, bristles 1–8.5 mm, ± strongly barbed
Chromosomes: 2n=18
Ecology: Inland clay soils, grassland, often near vernal pools or serpentine outcrops
Elevation: < 1000 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada Foothills, Tehachapi Mountain Area, Great Central Valley, Central Western California, South Coast, Channel Islands
Distribution outside California: Oregon, Baja California
Highly variable; vars. intergrade.
| Native |
Fruit 3–6.5 mm, generally widest near middle; pappus scales < 1 mm, bristles 3–8.5 mm
Ecology: Habitats of sp
Elevation:
Bioregional distribution: west-central Great Central Valley, Central Western California, South Coast, n Channel Islands.Hybridizes with M. bigelovii ; often confused with M. elegans.