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Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula

Higher Taxonomy
Family: Asteraceae (Compositae)View DescriptionDichotomous Key

Habit: Annual to tree. Leaf: basal and/or cauline, alternate, opposite, rarely whorled, simple to 2+ × compound. Inflorescence: 1° inflorescence a head, resembling a flower, of several types (see below), 1--many in generally +- cyme-like cluster; each head generally with +- calyx-like involucre of 1--many series of phyllaries (involucre bracts); receptacle of head flat to conic or columnar, paleate (bearing paleae = receptacle bracts) or epaleate; flowers 1--many per head. Flower: bisexual, unisexual, or sterile, +- small, of several types (see below); calyx 0 or modified into +- persistent pappus of bristles, scales, and/or awns; corolla radial or bilateral (0), lobes generally (0)3--5; stamens 4--5, filaments generally free, generally fused to corolla at tube/throat junction, anthers generally fused into cylinder around style, anther base generally rounded or cordate (deeply sagittate or with tail-like appendages), tip (= flattened appendage) generally projecting beyond pollen sac; pistil 1, 2-carpeled, ovary inferior, 1-chambered, 1-seeded, placenta basal, style 1, tip generally +- 2-branched (except in some staminate disk flowers), branch tips truncate or generally bearing +- brush-like appendages; stigmas 2, generally on adaxial faces of style branches. Fruit: achene (also called a cypsela) (drupe in Chrysanthemoides), cylindric to ovoid, sometimes compressed, generally deciduous with pappus attached.
Unabridged Note: Largest family of vascular plants in California and of eudicots globally.
eFlora Treatment Author: David J. Keil, except as noted
Scientific Editor: David J. Keil, Bruce G. Baldwin.
Genus: ChaenactisView DescriptionDichotomous Key

Habit: Annual to subshrub (2)5--70(200) cm; proximal stem and leaves glabrous to variously hairy. Stem: 1, erect, or 2--25+, prostrate to ascending, simple or branched. Leaf: simple, alternate, often crowded proximally, petioled, generally +- elliptic to ovate or obovate, generally deeply 1--4-pinnately lobed, occasionally entire (then linear), lobes generally not or scarcely overlapping; distal generally +- reduced. Inflorescence: heads discoid or radiant, 1--25+ per stem, generally in terminal cyme-like cluster; peduncle generally erect, hairs generally as on phyllary bases; involucre generally <= 15[25] mm diam, cylindric to obconic or hemispheric; phyllaries in 1--2 +- = series, generally linear to lanceolate, persistent, tips generally +- flat, generally +- green; receptacle flat to rounded, glabrous, generally epaleate. Flower: 8--70+; corolla white, +- pink, or yellow, generally open during day; anthers generally exserted, tips lanceolate to ovate; style tips linear, minutely bristly. Fruit: +- club-shaped, generally not compressed, +- hairy; pappus 0, crown-like, or generally of (1)4--20 persistent, +- fringed scales in 1--4 series, scales often fewer and/or shorter on outer fruit.
Species In Genus: 18 species: western North America. Etymology: (Greek: gaping ray, for enlarged outer corollas of type sp.) Note: Species of sect. Chaenactis hybridize, especially in SCoRI/s SnJV, where identification can be difficult.
eFlora Treatment Author: James D. Morefield
Species: Chaenactis glabriusculaView Description 

Habit: Annual; proximal hairs cobwebby to woolly, +- gray to white, sometimes 0 by flowering time. Stem: branches 0 or proximal, often also distal. Leaf: basal (often withering) and generally cauline, 1--10 cm; largest blades generally +- elliptic, flat or not, 1--2-pinnately lobed (sometimes linear, cylindric, entire), fleshy or not, nonglandular; 1° lobes 1--7 pairs, tips various. Inflorescence: heads radiant, 1--20+ per stem; involucre obconic or widely cylindric to +- hemispheric; longest phyllaries 4.5--10 mm, outer variously hairy to glabrous in fruit, tip erect, stiff, +- obtuse. Flower: corolla bright to dark yellow, inner 4--8 mm, outer bilateral, spreading, > inner. Fruit: 3--9 mm; inner fruit pappus generally of 4 scales in 1 series, or (7)8 scales in 2 unequal series, outer << inner, longest (1)2--8 mm. Chromosomes: 2n=12.
Note: Highly variable; some forms differ from Chaenactis stevioides [Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula] or Chaenactis fremontii [Chaenactis glabriuscula var. megacephala] only by yellow flowers and 2n=12.

Chaenactis glabriuscula DC. var. glabriuscula
Habit: Plant 10--60 cm; proximal hairs +- cobwebby, +- gray. Stem: generally 1--5, erect to ascending; branches proximal, often also distal. Leaf: basal, withering, and cauline, 3--8 cm; largest blades +- flat or not, 1(2)-pinnately lobed, scarcely fleshy; 1° lobes 2--7 pairs, tips flat, curled, twisted, or cylindric. Inflorescence: heads 2--20+ per stem; peduncle 1--4(10) cm; involucre obconic to +- hemispheric; longest phyllaries 5--7 mm, 1--2 mm wide, outer +- silky-cobwebby at least medially in fruit, often also +- glandular-hairy. Flower: inner corollas 4--6 mm. Fruit: 3--5.5 mm; inner fruit pappus generally of 4 scales in 1 series, longest 2--4 mm, 0.4--0.7 × corolla. Chromosomes: 2n=12.
Ecology: Open sandy slopes, openings in chaparral, woodland; Elevation: 100--2300 m. Bioregional Distribution: NCoRI, SN (exc e SNH), GV, CW (exc CCo), SW (exc s ChI), sw edge D (exc DMtns); Distribution Outside California: to northern Baja California. Flowering Time: Feb--Jul
eFlora Treatment Author: James D. Morefield
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Citation for this treatment: James D. Morefield 2016. Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=6951, accessed on April 29, 2016.

Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2016. Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html, accessed on April 29, 2016.

Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula
click for enlargement
© 2014 Keir Morse
Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula
click for enlargement
© 2014 Keir Morse
Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula
click for enlargement
© 2014 Keir Morse
Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula
click for enlargement
© 2014 Keir Morse
Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula
click for enlargement
© 2014 Keir Morse
Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula
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© 2011 Neal Kramer

More photos of Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula in CalPhotos

Geographic subdivisions for Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula:
map of distribution 1

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Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria.
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Duplicates counted once; synonyms included.
Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa.
Blue line denotes eFlora flowering time.