Eriophyllum congdonii
Encyclopedia
Eriophyllum congdonii, known by the common name Congdon's woolly sunflower, is a rare species of flowering plant in the aster family
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produces one flower head
containing many glandular yellow disc florets and 8 to 10 yellow ray florets each 3 to 5 millimeters long. The fruit is a rough-haired achene
with a tiny, scaly pappus
.
, where it grows along the valley of the Merced River
as it flows through Yosemite National Park
.
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...
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Description
Eriophyllum congdonii is an annual herb growing mostly erect with branching stems up to 30 centimeters long. The woolly, whitish leaves are 1 to 4 centimeters long and may have a few shallow lobes. The inflorescenceInflorescence
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...
produces one flower head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
containing many glandular yellow disc florets and 8 to 10 yellow ray florets each 3 to 5 millimeters long. The fruit is a rough-haired achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
with a tiny, scaly 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...
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Distribution
Eriophyllum congdonii is endemic to the mountains of central Mariposa County, CaliforniaMariposa County, California
Mariposa County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It lies north of Fresno, east of Merced, and southeast of Stockton. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,251 up from 17,130 at the 2000 census...
, where it grows along the valley of the Merced River
Merced River
The Merced River , in the central part of the U.S. state of California, is a -long tributary of the San Joaquin River flowing from the Sierra Nevada into the Central Valley. It is most well known for its swift and steep course through the southern part of Yosemite National Park, and the...
as it flows through Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
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