Crepis acuminata
Encyclopedia
Crepis acuminata is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common name tapertip hawksbeard. It is native to the western United States
where it grows in many types of open habitat. It is a perennial herb producing a woolly, branching stem up to about 70 centimeters tall from a taproot
. The gray-green leaves are long and cut into many triangular, pointed lobes. The longest, near the base of the plant, may reach 40 centimeters in length. The inflorescence
is an open array of flowers at the top of the stem branches. Each of the many flower heads
is enveloped in smooth or hairy phyllaries
. The flower head opens into a face of up to 10 yellow ray florets. There are no disc florets. The fruit is a narrow achene
7 or 8 millimeters long tipped with a pappus of white hairlike bristles.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common name tapertip hawksbeard. It is native to the western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
where it grows in many types of open habitat. It is a perennial herb producing a woolly, branching stem up to about 70 centimeters tall from a taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
. The gray-green leaves are long and cut into many triangular, pointed lobes. The longest, near the base of the plant, may reach 40 centimeters in length. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is an open array of flowers at the top of the stem branches. Each of the many flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
is enveloped in smooth or hairy phyllaries
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
. The flower head opens into a face of up to 10 yellow ray florets. There are no disc florets. The fruit is a narrow achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
7 or 8 millimeters long tipped with a pappus of white hairlike bristles.