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Chaenactis nevii

John Day pincushion, John Day's pincushion, Nevius' chaenactis

Habit Plants 10–30 cm; proximal indument greenish to grayish, stipitate-glandular and, sometimes, sparsely arachnoid or villous.
Stems

mostly 1–3;

branches mainly distal.

Leaves

basal (withering) and cauline, 2–5 cm;

largest blades ± elliptic, ± plane to 3-dimensional, not succulent, 1–2-pinnately lobed;

primary lobes mostly 3–8 pairs, ± remote, ultimate lobes ± plane to involute.

Peduncles

1–6 cm, distally stipitate-glandular and, sometimes, ± arachnoid to villous.

Involucres

± hemispheric to campanulate.

Florets

corollas bright yellow, 4–6.5 mm;

peripheral corollas ± erect, actinomorphic, scarcely enlarged.

Phyllaries

longest 6–9 mm;

outer predominantly stipitate-glandular and, sometimes, ± arachnoid to villous in fruit, apices ± erect, acute, rigid.

Heads

mostly 3–9 per stem.

Cypselae

3.5–6 mm (compressed);

pappi 0 or coroniform (of ± 10 scales, longest 0.1–0.5 mm).

2n

= 12.

Chaenactis nevii

Phenology Flowering late Apr–mid July.
Habitat Nearly barren, heavy clay soils from volcanic ash and tuff, sometimes disturbed or moist sites
Elevation 400–1000 m (1300–3300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Chaenactis nevii is known from the John Day Basin area in Gilliam, Grant, Jefferson, Wasco, and Wheeler counties. This odd and isolated species combines traits of C. artemisiifolia (sect. Acarphaea) and C. glabriuscula, and might be descended from their common ancestor.

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

Source FNA vol. 21, p. 411.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Chaenactidinae > Chaenactis > sect. Chaenactis
Sibling taxa
C. alpigena, C. artemisiifolia, C. carphoclinia, C. cusickii, C. douglasii, C. evermannii, C. fremontii, C. glabriuscula, C. macrantha, C. nevadensis, C. parishii, C. santolinoides, C. stevioides, C. suffrutescens, C. thompsonii, C. xantiana
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer Acad. Arts 19: 30. (1883)
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