Blennosperma

Lessing

Syn. Gen. Compos., 267. 1832.

Etymology: Greek blennos, mucus, and sperma, seed, alluding to cypselae becoming mucilaginous when wetted
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 20. Treatment on page 640. Mentioned on page 541.

Annuals, 3–12(–30) cm (taprooted). Stems usually 1, erect (usually branched ± throughout). Leaves (sometimes ± fleshy) basal and cauline; alternate; mostly sessile; blades pinnately nerved, linear (or pinnately divided into 2–15 linear lobes), ultimate margins entire, faces glabrous or sparsely floccose-tomentose. Heads radiate, borne singly. Involucres ± hemispheric, 3–6+ mm diam. Phyllaries persistent, 5–13+ in ± 2 series, ± erect (inflexed in late flowering, reflexed in fruit), basally connate, elliptic to ovate, subequal, ± membranous (veiny, tips usually purple). Receptacles flat to convex, smooth or foveolate, epaleate. Ray florets 5–13+, pistillate (sometimes, some pistillate florets lack corollas); corollas sessile (lacking tubes), usually yellow, rarely white (often purplish abaxially, laminae ovate to linear). Disc florets 20–60(–100+), functionally staminate; corollas yellow, tubes shorter to longer than campanulate throats; lobes 5, ± erect, deltate to lanceolate; styles not divided. Cypselae ± ellipsoid, usually 5–6(–10)-ribbed or -angled, usually papillate (papillae becoming mucilaginous when wetted); pappi 0. x = 9.

Distribution

Calif., South America (Chile).

Discussion

Species 3 (2 in the flora).

Key

1 Proximal leaves not lobed or 2–3(–5)-lobed; stigmas of ray florets red Blennosperma bakeri
1 Proximal leaves usually 5–15-lobed, rarely entire; stigmas of ray florets yellow Blennosperma nanum