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alkali aster, Chiricahua Mountain tansy-aster

small-flower tansy-aster

Habit Annuals, 25–60 cm; taproots slender to thick. Annuals or short-lived perennials, 10–50 cm; taproots slender to ± thickened.
Stems

1–12+, erect or ascending, straight and rigid, sometimes sprawling from base, branching from base and distally, glabrous, glaucous.

1–15+, mostly erect to ascending, rarely reclining, slender, much branched distally or throughout, glaucous, glabrous or sparsely gland-dotted from midstem distally.

Leaves

mostly cauline;

sessile (± appressed);

blades oblanceolate, 20–30 × 3–5 mm, reduced distally, (thick, succulent) bases broadened, margins entire (incised to dentate in hybrids with A. parviflora) eciliate or with 1–8 cilia per side, apices linear, spiny-mucronate, glabrous;

distal subulate, entire.

mostly cauline;

sessile;

blades lanceolate to oblong, reduced distally, 10–30 × 2–7 mm, bases often clasping, margins shallowly or deeply pinnatifid to 2-pinnatifid, toothed, or entire, apices apiculate to rounded, faces glabrous to sparsely stipitate-glandular;

distal ascending to appressed.

Involucres

hemispheric, 10–12 × 10–16 mm (fresh).

hemispheric, 3–5 × 4–6 mm (fresh).

Ray florets

50–80+;

laminae bluish purple to lavender, 10–12 mm, coiled after flowering.

10–30+;

laminae violet-blue to lavender, rarely whitish, 6–8 mm, coiled after flowering.

Disc florets

45–100+;

corollas yellow, 3.5–5 mm.

18–40+;

corollas yellow, 4–5 mm.

Phyllaries

in 4–5 series, appressed, linear-lanceolate, 2–8 mm, bases whitish to tan, margins entire to laciniate, apices green, acute to acuminate, glabrous.

in 3–4 series, ± appressed, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 1–4 mm, bases whitish, margins ± entire, apices green or purple, mostly acute, minutely glandular.

Heads

borne singly (terminal), often in loose, leafy, cymiform arrays.

borne singly (terminal), in loose, leafy, corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

oblanceoloid, 2.5–3 mm, 11–13-nerved per face, faces sparsely sericeous;

pappi: white, setose;

ray 3–3.5 mm;

disc 3–4 mm.

oblanceolate, 1.5–2 mm, 8–10 per face, faces moderately sericeous;

pappi setose;

ray 0 or white, 1–1.5 mm;

disc whitish, 4–5.5 mm.

2n

= 10.

= 10.

Arida riparia

Arida parviflora

Phenology Flowering Apr–Sep. Flowering Jul–Oct.
Habitat Low valleys, saline soils on mudflats, edges of playas Saline flats, playas, swales, sandy areas, river margins
Elevation 1300–1400 m (4300–4600 ft) 1100–1700 m (3600–5600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Zacatecas)
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; TX; UT; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)
Discussion

Arida riparia is a distinctive species recognized by its V-shaped branching, narrow, succulent, somewhat appressed, spiny-tipped leaves, and relatively large heads. It is known to hybridize with A. parviflora in southeastern Arizona and adjacent New Mexico. Specimens with dentate leaf margins usually represent hybrids.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Arida parviflora is recognized by its wiry stems, small, deeply pinnatifid leaves, rather small involucres, and ray cypselae usually with pappi. This species is often described as being an annual; however, some specimens have a large, woody root and well-developed branching crown like a perennial plant.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 405. FNA vol. 20, p. 405.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Arida Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Arida
Sibling taxa
A. arizonica, A. blepharophylla, A. carnosa, A. mattturneri, A. parviflora
A. arizonica, A. blepharophylla, A. carnosa, A. mattturneri, A. riparia
Synonyms Aster riparius, Machaeranthera riparia, Machaeranthera sonorae Machaeranthera parviflora
Name authority (Kunth) D. R. Morgan & R. L. Hartman: Sida 20: 1414. (2003) (A. Gray) D. R. Morgan & R. L. Hartman: Sida 20: 1414. (2003)
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