Sphaeromeria

Nuttall

Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 401. 1841.

Common names: False sagebrush chickensage
Etymology: Greek sphaira, sphere, and meros, a part, alluding to the capitate arrays of heads in S. capitata
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 19. Treatment on page 499. Mentioned on page 52, 68, 486, 531.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA19 P58 Sphaeromeria potentilloides.jpegSphaeromeria potentilloides var. nitrophila
Sphaeromeria cana
Sphaeromeria capitata
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey

Perennials or subshrubs, (1–) 5–60 (–70) cm (usually aromatic). Stems 1–5+ (with interxylary cork), lax to erect, branched from bases or throughout, glabrous or sericeous to tomentose (hairs medifixed), usually gland-dotted as well. Leaves mostly basal (sometimes in rosettes) or basal and cauline; alternate; petiolate or sessile; blades obovate to cuneate or linear, usually 1–2-pinnately or palmately lobed (ultimate lobes oblanceolate to linear) or apically 3-toothed or lobed, ultimate margins entire, faces glabrous or ± sericeous to tomentose and usually gland-dotted. Heads disciform, borne singly or (2–60+) in usually corymbiform, rarely paniculiform, arrays or in subcapitate clusters. Involucres hemispheric to campanulate, 3–5 (–12) mm diam. Phyllaries persistent, (8–) 12–20+ in 2–3+ series, mostly obovate, unequal to subequal, margins and apices (colorless, pinkish, or brownish) scarious. Receptacles conic to nearly flat (villous in S. potentilloides), epaleate. Ray-florets 0 (peripheral pistillate florets 4–15+; corollas ± filiform, lobes usually 3). Disc-florets 30–50+, bisexual, fertile; corollas usually bright-yellow (ochroleucous in S. cana), tubes ± cylindric, throats ± campanulate, lobes 5, ± deltate (tips glabrous or hairy). Cypselae columnar or obovoid to obconic, ribs 2–3 or 5–10, faces glabrous or gland-dotted (pericarps with myxogenic cells only in S. potentilloides, without resin sacs); pappi usually 0 (of 3–5 subulate scales in S. compacta). x = 9.

Distribution

w United States, nw Mexico

Discussion

Species 9 (8 in the flora).

Key

1 Receptacles villous; cypselae becoming mucilaginous when wet Sphaeromeria potentilloides
1 Receptacles glabrous; cypselae not mucilaginous when wet > 2
2 Subshrubs, 20–70 cm; leaves mostly cauline (not forming basal clusters) > 3
2 Perennials, 1–20 cm (often cespitose); leaves mostly basal (commonly forming clusters) > 5
3 Corollas ochroleucous, lobes villous Sphaeromeria cana
3 Corollas yellow, lobes glabrous or gland-dotted > 4
4 Leaves glabrous; heads 5–20 in corymbiform or subumbelliform arrays (as wide as or wider than long) Sphaeromeria diversifolia
4 Leaves tomentose; heads (8–)10–30(–60) in paniculiform arrays (longer than wide) Sphaeromeria ruthiae
5 Heads 1–7 (S. argentea) or 8–20 > 6
5 Heads 1–3(–5) > 7
6 Leaf blades (± cuneate, 7–15 mm) entire or apices 3(–5)-toothed or -lobed, faces silvery-canescent; heads usually in subcapitate to corymbiform arrays (1–1.5 cm across), sometimes borne singly Sphaeromeria argentea
6 Leaf blades (± cuneate, 8–20 mm) usually 1–2-pinnati-palmately lobed (ultimate lobes ± linear), faces ± tomentose; heads in tight, capitate arrays (1–1.3 cm across) Sphaeromeria capitata
7 Leaves: blades (10–25 mm) pinnati-palmately lobed (lobes 3–6+, ± oblanceolate to linear) or linear, faces sericeous (pappi of 3–5, subulate scales) Sphaeromeria compacta
7 Leaves: blades (15–30 × 1.5–8 mm) pinnati-palmately lobed (lobes 2–3, linear, 1–2 mm wide) or linear, faces silvery-canescent Sphaeromeria simplex
... more about "Sphaeromeria"
not tailed +  and obtuse +
scarious +
spiciform +, racemiform +, paniculiform +  and corymbiform +
indeterminate +  and determinate +
Timothy K. Lowrey +  and Leila M. Shultz +
Nuttall +
decurrent +
compound +  and simple +
lobed;3-toothed;lobed;obovate;cuneate or linear +
False sagebrush +  and chickensage +
zygomorphic +, actinomorphic +  and (3-)5-merous +
bright-yellow +
winged +  and monomorphic +
obovoid +  and obconic +
fertile +  and bisexual +
fertile +  and bisexual +
w United States +  and nw Mexico +
Greek sphaira, sphere, and meros, a part, alluding to the capitate arrays of heads in S. capitata +
gland-dotted;gland-dotted +
glabrous +, more or less sericeous +  and tomentose +
pistillate +, staminate +  and neuter +
winged +  and beaked +
dispersed +
indeterminate +
heterogamous +  and homogamous +
each +  and sessile +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
hemispheric;campanulate +
sessile +  and petiolate +
cauline +  and basal +
deltate +
entire +  and dentate +
2-carpellate +
persistent +
12 +  and 20 +
unequal +  and subequal +
Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. +
styliferous +, neuter +  and pistillate +
sterile +  and fertile +
bearing subulate enations +, hairy +  and bristly +
conic;nearly flat +
holmgren1976a +
5 +  and 10 +
exalbuminous +
gland-dotted +
sericeous +  and tomentose +
1 +  and 5 +
appendaged +  and truncate +
papillate +
Compositae +
Sphaeromeria +
Asteraceae tribe Anthemideae +
campanulate +
cylindric +
60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br /> (70 cm700 mm <br />0.7 m <br />) +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br />) +
60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br /> (70 cm700 mm <br />0.7 m <br />) +