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Parry's Townsend daisy, Parry's townsendia

ground townsendia, tuft Townsend daisy, tuft townsendia

Habit Biennials or perennials, (2–)5–12(–25+) cm.
Stems

decumbent to erect;

internodes (0.1–)2–12(–25+) mm, strigose.

± erect;

internodes 0.1–1 mm, ± strigose.

Leaves

basal and cauline, blades spatulate to oblanceolate, 15–35(–60+) × 2–5(–8+) mm, not fleshy, faces ± strigose or glabrate Heads at tips of stems (usually surpassed by leaves).

basal and cauline, blades ± spatulate to oblanceolate, 15–30(–70) × 2–5(–9) mm, not fleshy, faces ± strigose.

Involucres

± hemispheric or broader, 12–25(–35+) mm diam.

± campanulate, 12–20(–32) mm diam.

Ray florets

21–67+;

corollas usually blue or purplish, rarely white or pinkish, adaxially, laminae 7–15(–20+) mm, glabrous abaxially.

18–35;

corollas white adaxially, laminae 7–16 mm, glandular-puberulent abaxially.

Disc florets

150–200+;

corollas 4.5–6 mm.

40–100+;

corollas 3.5–5.5 mm.

Phyllaries

40–64 in 4–7+ series, the longer ± lanceolate to lance-linear, 10–15+ mm (l/w = 4–6), apices acute to attenuate (soft, not apiculate), abaxial faces ± strigose or glabrous.

16–32+ in 3–4+ series, the longer ± lanceolate, (7–)9–13 mm (l/w = 3–5), apices acute, abaxial faces piloso-strigose to strigose.

Heads

on scapiform peduncles 30–60(–120) mm.

Cypselae

3–4.5+ mm, hairy, hair tips forked or entire;

pappi persistent, of 24–30+ subulate to setiform scales 3.5–4(–7.5) mm.

4–5.5 mm, faces hairy, hair tips forked or entire;

pappi persistent;

on ray cypselae 20–30+ subulate to setiform scales 3–6+ mm;

on disc cypselae 20–30 subulate to setiform scales 5–7+ mm.

2n

= 18.

Townsendia parryi

Townsendia scapigera

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering May–Jul(–Aug).
Habitat Meadows, grassy slopes, gravelly benches, talus Openings in sagebrush
Elevation 1500–3000 m (4900–9800 ft) 1400–3400 m (4600–11200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Plants that key here and have peduncles 5–15+ mm (sporting smaller heads, fewer ray florets, and smaller cypselae than are characteristic of Townsendia scapigera) may belong to T. jonesii (which see). Plants included here in T. scapigera from Sweetwater Mountains, California, with relatively large heads and high numbers of florets were identified on their labels (e.g., DeDecker 3928, RSA) as T. parryi, a species not known to occur in California.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 197. FNA vol. 20, p. 201.
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. leptotes, T. mensana, T. microcephala, T. minima, T. montana, 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. leptotes, T. mensana, T. microcephala, T. minima, T. montana, T. parryi, T. rothrockii, T. smithii, T. spathulata, T. strigosa, T. texensis
Name authority D. C. Eaton: Amer. Naturalist 8: 212. (1874) D. C. Eaton: in S. Watson, Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 145, plate 17, figs. 1–7. (1871)
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