Packera eurycephala
Encyclopedia
Packera eurycephala is a species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common name widehead groundsel. It is native to a section of the western United States encompassing southern Oregon
, northern California
, and northern Nevada
. It can be found in dry habitat types, often in disturbed areas, and it favors serpentine soil
s.
It is a perennial herb reaching a maximum height of 50 to 70 centimeters, its cluster of erect stems growing from a taproot
and woody caudex
unit. The leaves are up to 10 centimeters long and are made up of many narrow, lacy lobes. The plant is slightly to densely woolly in texture.
The inflorescence
contains several flower head
s, each lined with green- or yellow-tipped phyllaries
. The head contains many golden yellow disc florets and generally either 8 or 13 yellow ray florets each just over 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 widehead groundsel. It is native to a section of the western United States encompassing southern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, northern 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 northern Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. It can be found in dry habitat types, often in disturbed areas, and it favors 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 reaching a maximum height of 50 to 70 centimeters, its cluster of erect stems growing 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 woody 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. The leaves are up to 10 centimeters long and are made up of many narrow, lacy lobes. The plant is slightly to densely woolly in texture.
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 head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
s, each lined with green- or yellow-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 generally either 8 or 13 yellow ray florets each just over a centimeter long.