Townsendia eximia
Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, n. s. 4: 70. 1849.
Biennials or perennials, 6–15 (–30+) cm (sometimes rhizomatous). Stems ± erect; internodes 6–8 (–25) mm, ± strigose. Leaves basal and cauline, blades spatulate to oblanceolate, 15–60 (–120+) × 2–6 (–10) mm (margins strigoso-ciliate), faces usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely strigillose. Heads at tips of ± leafy stems. Involucres hemispheric or broader, (8–) 12–25+ mm diam. Phyllaries (30–) 60–80+ in (4–) 5–6+ series, the longer ± lanceolate, (7–) 12–13+ mm (l/w = 3–5), apices acute to attenuate (most hard, apiculate), abaxial faces sparsely strigillose or glabrous. Ray-florets 15–55+; corollas usually blue adaxially, laminae 12–20 mm, glabrous abaxially. Disc-florets (60–) 100–150+; corollas (3.5–) 4–5+ mm. Cypselae 3–4+ mm, faces ± hairy, hair tips forked or glochidiform; pappi persistent; on ray cypselae each a corona 0.1–0.5 mm; on disc cypselae each of 8–12+ lanceolate scales 0.5–1 mm plus 1–2+ subulate to setiform scales 1–4 mm.
Phenology: Flowering (May–)Jul–Aug(–Oct).
Habitat: Gravelly banks, canyon walls, with junipers, pinyons, and yellow pines
Elevation: (1900–)2100–2500(–3300) m
Discussion
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
"broader" is not a number.