Gamochaeta sphacelata

(Kunth) Cabrera

Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 9: 380. 1961.

Common names: Owl’s crown
Basionym: Gnaphalium sphacelatum Kunth in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. 4(fol.): 67. 1818; 4(qto.): 86. 1820 (as sphacilatum)
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 19. Treatment on page 434. Mentioned on page 432.

Annuals, 10–35 (–50) cm; usually taprooted, rarely fibrous-rooted. Stems erect to ascending, densely gray-white pannose. Leaves basal and cauline, basal usually withering before flowering; blades linear to narrowly oblanceolate (often folded along midveins), 1–4 cm × 1–3 (–5) mm (distally becoming ± patent, arcuate bracts surpassing the heads), faces concolor or weakly bicolor, pannose-tomentose (± equally grayish to whitish, basal-cells of hairs on adaxial faces persistent, expanded, glassy). Heads in terminal glomerules 1 cm or in interrupted, spiciform arrays 2–14 cm × 10–12 (–14) mm (pressed; glomerules sometimes axillary). Involucres cylindro-campanulate, 3.5–4 (–5) mm, sparsely arachnose. Phyllaries in (3–) 4–5 series, outer triangular, lengths 1/3–1/2 inner, apices (brown) acute-acuminate (usually inrolled and spreading or recurved), inner triangular-lanceolate, laminae purplish (in bud) to whitish or silvery (in fruit), apices (usually striate) acute (not apiculate). Florets: bisexual 3–5; all corollas usually purplish distally. Cypselae (tan) 0.5–0.6 mm.


Phenology: Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat: Grasslands, pine-oak woodlands, dry and wet sites
Elevation: 2000–2800 m

Distribution

V19-713-distribution-map.gif

Tex., Mexico, South America (scattered), South America (fide A. L. Cabrera 1977+), South America (part 10)

Discussion

Gamochaeta sphacelata is recognized by its linear to narrowly oblanceolate, concolor leaves, interrupted, spiciform arrays of heads in compact axillary glomerules or on lateral branches, glomerules subtended by ± patent, arcuate bracts, dark brown involucres, and acute-acuminate, recurving tips of outer and mid phyllaries. Roots are typically lignescent taproots. As in G. purpurea, the basal cells of each hair on adaxial leaf faces are persistent, expanded, and glassy.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Gamochaeta sphacelata"
gray +  and white +
pannose-tomentose +  and tomentose +
subpannose +, tomentose +, arachnose +, glabrous +  and glabrescent +
acute-acuminate +
scarious +
mostly ovate +  and lanceovate or linear +
paniculiform +, spiciform +, interrupted +  and continuous +
indeterminate +  and determinate +
Guy L. Nesom +
(Kunth) Cabrera +
cuneate +  and more or less cordate +
Gnaphalium sphacelatum +
compound +  and simple +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
linear;narrowly oblanceolate +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
5-ribbed +, 3-ribbed +  and 2-ribbed +
muriculate +, papillate +  and smooth +
Owl’s crown +
actinomorphic +
flattened +  and oblong +
Tex. +, Mexico +, South America (scattered) +, South America (fide A. L. Cabrera 1977+) +  and South America (part 10) +
2000–2800 m +
bicolor;concolor +
pannose-tomentose +
winged +  and beaked +
dispersed +
Grasslands, pine-oak woodlands, dry and wet sites +
papilliform +
singly +  and aggregated +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (1.4 cm14 mm <br />0.014 m <br />) +
indeterminate +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (14 cm140 mm <br />0.14 m <br />) +
homogamous +  and heterogamous +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
each +  and sessile +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
cylindro-campanulate +
0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
purplish +  and whitish or silvery +
basal +  and cauline +
rarely lanceovate +  and lanceolate +
2-carpellate +
persistent +
Flowering Jul–Sep. +
Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. +
conic;more or less columnar +
exalbuminous +
gray-white +
erect +  and ascending +
appendaged +  and truncate +
papillate +
Gnaphalium sect. Gamochaeta +  and Gnaphalium subg. Gamochaeta +
Gamochaeta sphacelata +
Gamochaeta +
species +
in interrupted , spiciform arrays +  and 1 +
fibrous-rooted +  and taprooted +
35 cm350 mm <br />0.35 m <br /> (50 cm500 mm <br />0.5 m <br />) +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (35 cm350 mm <br />0.35 m <br />) +
shrub +  and subshrub +