The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

common Townsend daisy, common townsendia, slender townsendia

Easter daisy, stemless Townsend daisy

Habit Perennials, 1–3 cm (± pulvinate). Perennials, 1–3 cm (± pulvinate).
Stems

± erect;

internodes 0.1–1 mm, strigose.

± erect;

internodes 0.1–1 mm, ± hirsute to strigose or glabrate.

Leaves

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

basal and cauline, blades ± spatulate to narrowly oblanceolate or linear, 12–40(–75) × 2–6+ mm, not fleshy, faces ± strigillose.

Involucres

± campanulate, 8–12(–20+) mm diam.

± hemispheric, (10–)12–25+ mm diam.

Ray florets

13–34+;

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

11–40;

corollas white adaxially, laminae (9–)12–18+ mm, glabrous abaxially.

Disc florets

40–80+;

corollas 4–6+ mm.

100–150+;

corollas 6.5–9(–12+) mm.

Phyllaries

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.

30–45(–60) in 4–6+ series, the longer narrowly lanceolate or linear to subulate, (10–)12–14(–17) mm (l/w = 6–9), apices obtuse to acute, abaxial faces sparsely strigillose or glabrate.

Heads

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

± sessile (usually nestled among rosette leaves).

Cypselae

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.

4(–6+) mm, faces hairy, hair tips glochidiform;

pappi persistent;

on ray cypselae 20–30 setiform scales 6–8+ mm;

on disc cypselae 20–30+ setiform scales 6.5–11+ mm.

2n

= 18.

= 18.

Townsendia leptotes

Townsendia exscapa

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul. Flowering Mar–Jun(–Aug).
Habitat Rocky ridges, sandy slopes Openings in pine forests, meadows, gravelly hills, sandy soils
Elevation (2300–)2900–3800 m ((7500–)9500–12500 ft) (1300–)1600–2300(–3300) m ((4300–)5200–7500(–10800) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; KS; MT; ND; NE; NM; NV; OK; SD; TX; UT; WY; AB; MB; SK; Mexico (Chihuahua)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 203. FNA vol. 20, p. 200.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Townsendia Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Townsendia
Sibling taxa
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
T. annua, T. aprica, T. condensata, T. eximia, 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
Synonyms T. sericea var. leptotes Aster exscapus, T. sericea
Name authority (A. Gray) Osterhout: Muhlenbergia 4: 69. (1908) (Richardson) Porter: Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 5: 321. (1894)
Web links