Raillardella pringlei
Encyclopedia
Raillardella pringlei is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common name showy raillardella. It is endemic to the southern Klamath Ranges of northern California
, where it grows in moist forest habitat on serpentine soil
s. It is a rhizomatous
perennial herb growing in a clump of rosetted basal leaves. The leaves are linear to lance-shaped with smooth or faintly toothed edges, up to 15 centimeters long, and mostly hairless. The plant produces an inflorescence
generally 25 centimeters to half a meter tall consisting of a solitary flower head
or an array of up to three heads. The head is bell-shaped, sometimes widely so. It contains many orange to red-orange disc florets each about a centimeter long, and a fringe of several orange or reddish ray florets each up to 2 centimeters in length. The fruit is a long, narrow achene
which may be 2 centimeters in length including its pappus
of plumelike bristles.
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 showy raillardella. It is endemic to the southern Klamath Ranges of 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...
, where it grows in moist forest habitat 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 rhizomatous
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
perennial herb growing in a clump of rosetted basal leaves. The leaves are linear to lance-shaped with smooth or faintly toothed edges, up to 15 centimeters long, and mostly hairless. The plant produces an 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...
generally 25 centimeters to half a meter tall consisting of a solitary flower head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
or an array of up to three heads. The head is bell-shaped, sometimes widely so. It contains many orange to red-orange disc florets each about a centimeter long, and a fringe of several orange or reddish ray florets each up to 2 centimeters in length. The fruit is a long, narrow achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
which may be 2 centimeters in length including its 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...
of plumelike bristles.