Engelmannia

Perennials, 20–50(–100) cm (taproots or caudices becoming woody). Stems erect (coarsely strigose, hispid, or hirsute), usually branched (at least distally, sometimes branched from bases, aerial stems multiple). Leaves basal and cauline; alternate; petiolate (basal and proximal cauline) or sessile (distal); blades (pinnately nerved) mostly oblong to lanceolate, usually 1(–2)-pinnately lobed, bases ± cuneate, ultimate margins entire, faces coarsely strigose, hispid, or hirsute. Heads radiate, in open, corymbiform arrays. Involucres hemispheric, 6–10 mm diam. Phyllaries persistent (outer) or falling (inner, with cypselae), mostly 18–24+ in ± 3 series (outer with relatively short, expanded, indurate bases and longer, linear, herbaceous tips, inner broadly ovate, mostly indurate, scarious-margined, herbaceous tips relatively broader and shorter, tending to split along midveins in age). Receptacles flat, paleate (paleae linear to narrowly oblong, hirsute-ciliate at tips). Ray florets 8–9 (each subtended by an inner phyllary), pistillate, fertile; corollas yellow (laminae oblong-elliptic, entire or minutely 2–3-toothed). Disc florets 25–50, functionally staminate; corollas yellow, tubes shorter than campanulate throats, lobes 5, ± deltate (anthers black, appendages deltate, obtuse; styles not branched). Cypselae obcompressed or obflattened, obovate (each falling with subtending phyllary, 2–4, indurate paleae, plus sterile ovaries of 2–4 disc florets, margins ± ciliate, faces strigose to pilose); pappi persistent or tardily falling, of 2–4, ciliate scales. x = 9.

Distribution

sw United States, n Mexico.

Discussion

Species 1.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Engelmannia peristenia