Wright’s baccharis

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Wright’s baccharis

Wright’s baccharis

Morphology

Stem

Erect, much-branched from woody base, glabrous.

Leaves

Alternate, cauline, lower leaves often withering early; petiole absent; blade oblanceolate to narrowly oblong or linear, 1/5 to 4/5 inch long, 1/25 to 1/4 inch wide, bases tapered, margins entire or finely serrate, surfaces glabrous, not gland-dotted.

Inflorescence

Heads conspicuous, usually borne singly, terminal on slender branches, staminate and pistillate heads on separate plants. Pistillate and staminate involucres bell-shaped to hemispheric, pistillate 1/8 to 1/5 inch, staminate 1/5 to 1/8. Phyllaries narrowly lanceolate, 1/12 to 1/4 inch, tips acute or acuminate.

Flower

Staminate florets 20-30; corolla whitish, 1/6 to 1/4 inch, filiform. Pistillate florets 20-30; corolla whitish, 1/8 to 1/5 inch, filiform-tubular.

Fruit

Achenes tan, obovoid to cylindric, 1/8 to 1/5 inch, slightly compressed, strongly 5-10-nerved, glandular-scabrous; pappus of 25-50 barbellate bristles, 3/5 to 4/5 inch long; bristles reddish brown.

Ecology

Habitat

Dry, sandy shortgrass and sandsage prairies

Distribution

Southwest 1/4 of Kansas

Additional Notes