Subshrubs or shrubs, 50–140[–300] cm (often forming dense, rounded masses). Stems erect or spreading (glabrous or rough hairy [sparsely hirsute]). Leaves cauline; opposite (all or proximal) or alternate; sessile [petiolate]; blades linear to narrowly elliptic [± deltate, often hastate], sometimes lobed, ultimate margins entire [dentate], faces glabrous or ± scabrous [sparsely hirsute], sometimes gland-dotted or stipitate-glandular. Heads usually discoid (sometimes ± disciform), borne singly or in corymbiform arrays. Involucres ± campanulate or broader, 5–15 mm diam. Phyllaries persistent, 15–30[–40+] in 3–5 series (ovate or elliptic to lanceolate or lance-linear, strongly unequal; outer herbaceous, margins often chartaceous, ciliate, abaxial faces pubescent; inner more chartaceous, striate, margins ciliate, abaxial faces less pubescent to glabrate). Receptacles convex, paleate (paleae persistent, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate or linear-elliptic, conduplicate, each ± clasping a cypsela, scarious, striate, margins ciliate, abaxial faces glabrous or glabrate). Ray florets 0. Disc florets usually 20–50, bisexual, fertile (sometimes 2–8+ peripheral florets lack anthers); corollas yellow to orange, tubes shorter than narrowly funnelform throats, lobes 5, deltate. Cypselae ± compressed, ± obpyramidal, ± 3-angled, sericeous to strigillose; pappi of 15–25+ plumose, setiform scales in 1 series. x = 9.

Distribution

sw United States, n Mexico.

Discussion

Species 2 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

Whalen, M. 1977. Taxonomy of Bebbia (Compositae: Heliantheae). Madroño 24: 112–123.

Lower Taxa

Bebbia juncea