Chaenactis suffrutescens
Encyclopedia
Chaenactis suffrutescens is a species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common name Shasta chaenactis. It is endemic to California
, where it is known only from Shasta
and Trinity Counties
in the far northern part of the state. It grows in coniferous forests and other habitat in the Klamath Mountains
and the southernmost Cascade Range
mountains, sometimes on serpentine soil
s.
producing several branching erect stems reaching up to about half a meter tall. The leaves are several centimeters long and divided into several lobes which are subdivided into smaller lobes. The leaves are coated in feltlike white woolly fibers. The inflorescence
is a cylindrical flower head
atop an erect, stout peduncle
. Each head is lined with glandular, hairy phyllaries
and contains several white or pink-tinged disc florets with protruding anthers
. The disc florets have raylike lobes on their corollas, but there are no true ray florets. The fruit is an achene
over a centimeter long including the pappus
of scales.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common name Shasta chaenactis. It is endemic to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it is known only from Shasta
Shasta County, California
Shasta County is a county located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The county occupies the northern reaches of the Sacramento Valley, with portions extending into the southern reaches of the Cascade Range. As of the 2010 census, the population was 177,223, up from 163,256...
and Trinity Counties
Trinity County, California
Trinity County is a large, rugged and mountainous, heavily forested county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of California, along the Trinity River and within the Salmon/Klamath Mountains. It covers an area of over two million acres , and as of the 2010 census its population...
in the far northern part of the state. It grows in coniferous forests and other habitat in the Klamath Mountains
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
and the southernmost Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
mountains, sometimes on serpentine soil
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
s.
Description
Chaenactis suffrutescens is a spreading subshrubShrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
producing several branching erect stems reaching up to about half a meter tall. The leaves are several centimeters long and divided into several lobes which are subdivided into smaller lobes. The leaves are coated in feltlike white woolly fibers. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a cylindrical flower head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
atop an erect, stout peduncle
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
. Each head is lined with glandular, hairy phyllaries
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
and contains several white or pink-tinged disc florets with protruding anthers
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
. The disc florets have raylike lobes on their corollas, but there are no true ray florets. The fruit is an achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
over a centimeter long including the pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
of scales.