Lessingia glandulifera
Encyclopedia
Lessingia glandulifera is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common name valley lessingia. It is native to California
and Baja California
, where it grows in several types of habitat, from forest and desert to the coastline. This is an annual herb varying in maximum size from under 10 to nearly 80 centimeters in height, growing erect to decumbent. It is hairless to very hairy and glandular. The leaves are widely lance-shaped and toothed, the lowest approaching 11 centimeters in maximum length. The upper leaves are often studded with knobby glands. The flower heads
appear singly at the tips of the stem branches. Each head is lined with phyllaries
covered in large glands and sometimes many hairs. The head is discoid, containing no ray florets but many funnel-shaped disc florets with lobes that resemble ray florets. The disc florets are yellow with brown throats. The fruit is an achene
with a whitish pappus
.
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 valley lessingia. It is native 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...
and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, where it grows in several types of habitat, from forest and desert to the coastline. This is an annual herb varying in maximum size from under 10 to nearly 80 centimeters in height, growing erect to decumbent. It is hairless to very hairy and glandular. The leaves are widely lance-shaped and toothed, the lowest approaching 11 centimeters in maximum length. The upper leaves are often studded with knobby glands. The flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
appear singly at the tips of the stem branches. Each head is lined with 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...
covered in large glands and sometimes many hairs. The head is discoid, containing no ray florets but many funnel-shaped disc florets with lobes that resemble ray florets. The disc florets are yellow with brown throats. 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...
with a whitish 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...
.