Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula

Plants 10–60 cm; proximal indument grayish, ± arachnoid. Stems mostly 1–5, ascending to erect; branches proximal and, often, distal. Leaves basal (withering) and cauline, 3–8 cm; largest blades ± plane to 3-dimensional, scarcely succulent, 1(–2)-pinnately lobed; primary lobes 2–7 pairs, remote to ± congested, ultimate lobes plane, twisted, involute, or terete. Heads 2–20+ per stem. Peduncles 1–4(–10) cm. Involucres ± hemispheric to obconic. Phyllaries: longest 5–7 × 1–2 mm; outer (at least medially) ± arachnoid-sericeous and, often, ± stipitate-glandular in fruit. Florets: inner corollas 4–6 mm. Cypselae 3–5.5 mm; pappi of (1–)4 scales in 1 series, longest scales mostly 2–4 mm, lengths 0.4–0.7 times corollas. 2n = 12.

Phenology: Flowering Feb–Jun.
Habitat: Dry slopes, sandy places, openings in chaparral, woodlands
Elevation: 100–2300 m

Distribution

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Calif., Mexico (Baja California).

Discussion

Variety glabriuscula is known mainly in and west of the Peninsular Ranges and adjacent desert edges, inland from the coast; it also extends to Santa Rosa Island. Northward it intergrades with vars. megacephala and lanosa; near the coast it intergrades with var. orcuttiana. Forms sometimes recognized as var. tenuifolia are distinctive in the filiform leaf segments but merge seamlessly with the remainder of var. glabriuscula.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.