Lorandersonia spathulata

Shrubs, 70–150 cm. Stems ascending to erect, greenish when young, becoming tan to gray, fastigiately branched proximally (± angled from leaf bases), finely scabrous, eglandular. Leaves ascending; blades sometimes appressed, midnerves plus 2 fainter collateral nerves evident, oblanceolate to spatulate, 25–50 × 1–3 mm, flat, margins scabrellous, apices acute to acuminate, faces scabridulous. Heads in corymbiform arrays, clusters to 5 cm wide. Involucres turbinate to subcylindric, 5–7.2 × 1.5–2.3 mm. Phyllaries 13–16 in 3–4 series, in weak vertical ranks, mostly tan, midnerves evident throughout, slightly keeled or convex, elliptic to lanceolate, 0.8–6 × 0.7–1.2 mm, unequal, margins narrowly scarious, entire, apices acute to acuminate, outer often subapically thickened and ± herbaceous, faces glabrous. Receptacles without scales. Ray florets 0. Disc florets 4–5; corollas 4–5 mm, glabrous, lobes 1.5–2.5 mm; style branches exserted, 1.8–3 mm, appendages attenuate, 0.9–1.6 mm. Cypselae tan, narrowly obovate, 2–3 mm, 4–6 ribbed, faces sparsely hairy; pappi whitish tan, 3–4 mm. 2n = 18.

Phenology: Flowering late summer–fall.
Habitat: Loamy soils in pinyon, juniper, and oak woodlands
Elevation: 1700–2200 m

N.Mex., Tex.

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa