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tall Townsend daisy, tall townsendia

common Townsend daisy, common townsendia, slender townsendia

Habit Biennials or perennials, 6–15(–30+) cm (sometimes rhizomatous). Perennials, 1–3 cm (± pulvinate).
Stems

± erect;

internodes 6–8(–25) mm, ± strigose.

± erect;

internodes 0.1–1 mm, strigose.

Leaves

basal and cauline, blades spatulate to oblanceolate, 15–60(–120+) × 2–6(–10) mm (margins strigoso-ciliate), faces usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely strigillose.

basal and cauline, blades spatulate to narrowly obovate, (8–)12–25(–40+) × 1–2(–3+) mm, ± fleshy, faces ± strigose to strigillose or glabrate.

Involucres

hemispheric or broader, (8–)12–25+ mm diam.

± campanulate, 8–12(–20+) mm diam.

Ray florets

15–55+;

corollas usually blue adaxially, laminae 12–20 mm, glabrous abaxially.

13–34+;

corollas usually white or pinkish, seldom blue, adaxially, laminae 5–7(–12+) mm, abaxially usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely glandular-puberulent.

Disc florets

(60–)100–150+;

corollas (3.5–)4–5+ mm.

40–80+;

corollas 4–6+ mm.

Phyllaries

(30–)60–80+ in (4–)5–6+ series, the longer ± lanceolate, (7–)12–13+ mm (l/w = 3–5), apices acute to attenuate (most hard, apiculate), abaxial faces sparsely strigillose or glabrous.

40–50+ in 4–5+ series, the longer ± lanceolate, 7–9(–12) mm (l/w = 2.5–5), apices acute to attenuate, abaxial faces sparsely strigose or glabrous.

Heads

at tips of ± leafy stems.

usually ± sessile, rarely on scapiform peduncles 5–15+ mm.

Cypselae

3–4+ mm, faces ± hairy, hair tips forked or glochidiform;

pappi persistent;

on ray cypselae each a corona 0.1–0.5 mm;

on disc cypselae each of 8–12+ lanceolate scales 0.5–1 mm plus 1–2+ subulate to setiform scales 1–4 mm.

3+ mm, faces glabrous or sparsely hairy (hairs mostly at bases), hair tips glochidiform;

pappi persistent;

on ray cypselae ca. 25 lanceolate or subulate to setiform scales 0–1 or 5–8 mm;

on disc cypselae ca. 30 subulate to setiform scales 5–8 mm.

2n

= 18.

Townsendia eximia

Townsendia leptotes

Phenology Flowering (May–)Jul–Aug(–Oct). Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Gravelly banks, canyon walls, with junipers, pinyons, and yellow pines Rocky ridges, sandy slopes
Elevation (1900–)2100–2500(–3300) m ((6200–)6900–8200(–10800) ft) (2300–)2900–3800 m ((7500–)9500–12500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; NM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 197. FNA vol. 20, p. 203.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Townsendia Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Townsendia
Sibling taxa
T. annua, T. aprica, T. condensata, T. exscapa, T. fendleri, T. florifera, T. formosa, T. glabella, T. grandiflora, T. gypsophila, T. hookeri, T. incana, T. jonesii, T. leptotes, T. mensana, T. microcephala, T. minima, T. montana, T. parryi, T. rothrockii, T. scapigera, T. smithii, T. spathulata, T. strigosa, T. texensis
T. annua, T. aprica, T. condensata, T. eximia, T. exscapa, T. fendleri, T. florifera, T. formosa, T. glabella, T. grandiflora, T. gypsophila, T. hookeri, T. incana, T. jonesii, T. mensana, T. microcephala, T. minima, T. montana, T. parryi, T. rothrockii, T. scapigera, T. smithii, T. spathulata, T. strigosa, T. texensis
Synonyms T. sericea var. leptotes
Name authority A. Gray: Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, n. s. 4: 70. (1849) (A. Gray) Osterhout: Muhlenbergia 4: 69. (1908)
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