Agnorhiza

(Jepson) W. A. Weber

Phytologia 85: 19. 1999.

Etymology: Possibly Greek agnostos, unknown, and rhiza, root, alluding to the initially unknown roots in protologue of basionym of type species, Greene stated, “Root unknown.”
Basionym: Balsamorhiza sect. Agnorhiza Jepson Man. Fl. Pl. Calif., 1077. 1925
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 21. Treatment on page 104. Mentioned on page 65, 66, 100.

Perennials, 5–60(–100) cm (taproots relatively massive; caudices sometimes branched). Stems erect and branched (mostly distally), or decumbent (and seldom branched distally). Leaves basal and cauline (basal usually scalelike on flowering stems, well-formed on non-flowering shoots); alternate; petiolate; blades (3-or 5-nerved or pinnately nerved), cordate-ovate, deltate, deltate-triangular, ovate, ovate-lanceolate, or suborbiculate, bases broadly cuneate, subcordate, or truncate, margins entire or dentate to crenate, faces glabrous or hairy (often gland-dotted). Heads radiate or discoid, borne singly (terminal) or in ± racemiform arrays. Involucres campanulate to ± hemispheric, 12–40 mm diam. Phyllaries persistent, (8–)12–26+ in 2–3+ series (subequal to unequal, outer usually surpassing inner). Receptacles flat to convex, paleate (paleae persistent, conduplicate, chartaceous). Ray florets 0 or (1–)5–21+, pistillate, fertile; corollas yellow. Disc florets 50–150+, bisexual, fertile; corollas yellow, tubes shorter than cylindric throats, lobes 5, lance-deltate (style branches stigmatic in 2, barely distinct lines, appendages filiform). Cypselae ± prismatic, 3–4-angled (faces glabrous or strigillose); pappi usually persistent, coroniform (± lacerate, sometimes with 1–4 teeth or scales), sometimes 0. x = 19.

Distribution

Calif., nw Mexico.

Discussion

Species 5 (5 in the flora).

Key

1 Plants (5–)15–30(–45+) cm; stems decumbent, seldom distally branched; cauline leaves: blades ovate, suborbiculate, elliptic, rounded-deltate, or oblong; involucres ± campanulate, 12–25(–30+) mm diam > 2
1 Plants (20–)40–100 cm; stems erect, usually distally branched; cauline leaves: blades deltate, ovate, or ovate-lanceolate; involucres ± hemispheric, (15–)20–40 mm diam > 3
2 Leaves glabrous (shining, finely gland-dotted, glutinous); heads held among or beyond leaves; ray florets (7–)8–12, laminae (12–)20–30(–35) mm; cypselae 7–9 mm; pappi 0 or coroniform, 0.1–0.3 mm Agnorhiza bolanderi
2 Leaves silky-villous to strigillose, glabrescent; heads in axils of (and overtopped by) leaves; ray florets 5–8(–9), laminae 8–18 mm; cypselae 9–10 mm; pappi coroniform, 1–1.5+ mm Agnorhiza ovata
3 Ray florets 0 or 2–3 Agnorhiza invenusta
3 Ray florets 10–23 > 4
4 Leaf blades: faces tomentulose to pilosulous (and gland-dotted); cypselae 8–12 mm; pappi (0.5–)1–2(–3) mm Agnorhiza elata
4 Leaf blades: faces sparsely hispid or scabrous (and finely gland-dotted, green, shin-ing, often vernicose); cypselae ca. 6 mm; pappi 0.1–1 mm Agnorhiza reticulata
... more about "Agnorhiza"
William A. Weber +
(Jepson) W. A. Weber +
Balsamorhiza sect. Agnorhiza +
Calif. +  and nw Mexico. +
Possibly Greek agnostos, unknown, and rhiza, root, alluding to the initially unknown roots +  and in protologue of basionym of type species, Greene stated, “Root unknown.” +
weber1946a +
Undefined (tribe Undefined) subtribe Enceliinae +, Undefined (tribe Undefined) subtribe Engelmanniinae +, Undefined (tribe Undefined) subtribe Spilanthinae +, Undefined (tribe Undefined) subtribe Verbesininae +  and Undefined (tribe Undefined) subtribe Zinniinae +
Agnorhiza +
Asteraceae (tribe Heliantheae) subtribe Ecliptinae +