Packera clevelandii
Encyclopedia
Packera clevelandii is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common name Cleveland's ragwort. It is endemic to California
, where it is known from only two small regions, a section of the North Coast Ranges around Napa County
and a part of the Sierra Nevada foothills on the opposite side of the Sacramento Valley
. The plant grows in shrubby chaparral
, often on serpentine soil
s.
It is a perennial herb producing one or more erect stems from a taproot
and caudex
unit, reaching up to a meter in maximum height. The leaves are thick and fleshy, and have a waxy coating. Their blades are up to 10 centimeters long at the base of the plant, and smaller farther up.
The inflorescence
contains several flower heads
, each lined with green- or purple-tipped phyllaries
. The head contains many golden yellow disc florets and 8 to 13 narrow yellow ray florets each under a centimeter 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 Cleveland's ragwort. 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 from only two small regions, a section of the North Coast Ranges around Napa County
Napa County, California
Napa County is a county located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is coterminous with the Napa, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population is 136,484. The county seat is Napa....
and a part of the Sierra Nevada foothills on the opposite side of 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:...
. The plant grows in shrubby chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
, often 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.
It is a perennial herb producing one or more erect stems from a taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
and caudex
Caudex
A caudex is a form of stem morphology appearing as a thickened, short, perennial stem that is either underground or near ground level . It may be swollen for the purpose of water storage, especially in xerophytes...
unit, reaching up to a meter in maximum height. The leaves are thick and fleshy, and have a waxy coating. Their blades are up to 10 centimeters long at the base of the plant, and smaller farther up.
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...
contains several flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
, each lined with green- or purple-tipped 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...
. The head contains many golden yellow disc florets and 8 to 13 narrow yellow ray florets each under a centimeter long.