Townsendia scapigera
Encyclopedia
Townsendia scapigera is a species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common name tufted Townsend daisy. It is native to the western United States, where it grows in mountains, sagebrush
, and other habitat.
It is a small perennial herb taking a clumped form just a few centimeters tall, its herbage growing on a caudex
and taproot
unit. The leaves are up to 5 centimeters long and coated in rough hairs. The inflorescence
bears flower heads
on erect peduncles
, each head measuring 1 to 3 centimeters wide with hairy phyllaries
. Each head contains many yellow disc florets and many white, pinkish, or purplish ray florets each measuring up to 1.6 centimters in length.
The fruit is a hairy achene
tipped with a pappus
of 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 tufted Townsend daisy. It is native to the western United States, where it grows in mountains, sagebrush
Sagebrush
Sagebrush is a common name of a number of shrubby plant species in the genus Artemisia native to western North America;Or, the sagebrush steppe ecoregion, having one or more kinds of sagebrush, bunchgrasses and others;...
, and other habitat.
It is a small perennial herb taking a clumped form just a few centimeters tall, its herbage growing on a 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 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...
unit. The leaves are up to 5 centimeters long and coated in rough hairs. 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...
bears flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
on erect peduncles
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
, each head measuring 1 to 3 centimeters wide with 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...
. Each head contains many yellow disc florets and many white, pinkish, or purplish ray florets each measuring up to 1.6 centimters in length.
The fruit is a hairy achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
tipped 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 bristles.