Packera indecora
Encyclopedia
Packera indecora is a species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common names elegant groundsel and rayless mountain ragwort. It is native to northern North America including most of Canada and sections of the northernmost United States. It grows in moist mountain habitat, such as streamsides and meadows.
It is a perennial herb producing a single stem or a cluster of 2 or 3 stems from a branching caudex
and a taproot
. The plant reaches heights of ten centimeters to one meter. The leaves have thin, oblong or oval blades a few centimeters long borne on long petioles
. Smaller, more intricately divided leaves may occur farther up the stem.
The inflorescence
is an umbel
-shaped array of up to 20 or more flower heads
, each lined with green- or red-tipped phyllaries
. The head contains many disc florets and occasionally a tiny yellow ray floret, though these are usually absent.
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 names elegant groundsel and rayless mountain ragwort. It is native to northern North America including most of Canada and sections of the northernmost United States. It grows in moist mountain habitat, such as streamsides and meadows.
It is a perennial herb producing a single stem or a cluster of 2 or 3 stems from a branching caudex
Caudex
A caudex is a form of stem morphology appearing as a thickened, short, perennial stem that is either underground or near ground level . It may be swollen for the purpose of water storage, especially in xerophytes...
and 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 plant reaches heights of ten centimeters to one meter. The leaves have thin, oblong or oval blades a few centimeters long borne on long petioles
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
. Smaller, more intricately divided leaves may occur farther up the stem.
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 umbel
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
-shaped array of up to 20 or more 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 lined with green- or red-tipped 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 head contains many disc florets and occasionally a tiny yellow ray floret, though these are usually absent.