Lepidospartum latisquamum
Encyclopedia
Lepidospartum latisquamum is a species of flowering shrub
in the daisy family
known by the common name Nevada broomsage. It is native to the southwestern United States from California
to Utah
, where it grows in woodland and scrub. This is a broomlike shrub growing ribbed stems upright to form a narrow, erect profile. The ridges of the stem are hairless, while the grooves between them are coated in grayish woolly hairs. The leaves are needlelike to thready, 2 to 3 centimeters long and mostly hairless. The inflorescence
is a loose cluster of 3 to 5 flower heads
. Each head has a nearly cylindrical base of flat, wide phyllaries
. It is discoid, containing about five yellow disc florets and no ray florets. The fruit is a hairy, ridged achene
with a pappus
of long bristles.
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
in the daisy family
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 Nevada broomsage. It is native to the southwestern United States from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, where it grows in woodland and scrub. This is a broomlike shrub growing ribbed stems upright to form a narrow, erect profile. The ridges of the stem are hairless, while the grooves between them are coated in grayish woolly hairs. The leaves are needlelike to thready, 2 to 3 centimeters long and mostly hairless. 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 a loose cluster of 3 to 5 flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
. Each head has a nearly cylindrical base of flat, wide 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...
. It is discoid, containing about five yellow disc florets and no ray florets. The fruit is a hairy, ridged achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
with a pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
of long bristles.