Lagophylla minor
Encyclopedia
Lagophylla minor is a species of flowering plant in the sunflower family
known by the common name lesser hareleaf. It is endemic to California
, where it grows in the foothills surrounding the Sacramento Valley
. It is a member of the plant communities growing on serpentine soil
s. This is an annual herb producing a thin, forking, purplish brown stem covered in small stiff hairs. The hairy leaves are 2 to 5 centimeters long and linear in shape, those on the lower stem toothed and those on the upper smooth-edged. The inflorescence
bears flower heads
with five bright yellow three-lobed ray florets, six yellow disc florets with black anthers
, and phyllaries
with long, soft hairs. The fruit is a glossy black achene
two to three millimeters long.
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 lesser hareleaf. 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 grows in the foothills surrounding the Sacramento Valley
Sacramento Valley
The Sacramento Valley is the portion of the California Central Valley that lies to the north of the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses all or parts of ten counties.-Geography:...
. It is a member of the plant communities growing 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. This is an annual herb producing a thin, forking, purplish brown stem covered in small stiff hairs. The hairy leaves are 2 to 5 centimeters long and linear in shape, those on the lower stem toothed and those on the upper smooth-edged. 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...
bears flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
with five bright yellow three-lobed ray florets, six yellow disc florets with black anthers
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
, and 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...
with long, soft hairs. The fruit is a glossy black achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
two to three millimeters long.