Agoseris glauca is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names false dandelion,[2] pale agoseris, prairie agoseris, and short-beaked agoseris. It is native to western North America.

Description

Agoseris glauca is a perennial herb which varies in general appearance. Growing up to 70 centimeters (28 inches),[3] it produces a basal patch of leaves of various shapes which may be as long as the plant is high,[4] but are typically up to 35 cm (14 in).[3]

There is no stem, but from May to September[3] the plant flowers in a stemlike inflorescence which is sometimes erect, reaching heights near .5 metres (1+1⁄2 feet) or taller. The flower head is 1–3 cm (1⁄2–1+1⁄4 in) wide with layers of pointed phyllaries. The head is ligulate, bearing many yellow ray florets but no disc florets.[4] The rays may become pinkish with age.[2]

The fruit is an achene with a body up to a centimeter long and a pappus, which may be almost 2 cm in length.[4]

Similar species

Other species in the genus known as false dandelion or mountain dandelion, as well as true dandelions, can be distinguished from A. glauca by differences in their fruit.[3]

Taxonomy

Varieties[1][4]
  • Agoseris glauca var. dasycephala (Torr. & A. Gray) Jeps.
  • Agoseris glauca var. glauca[5]

Distribution and habitat

The plant is native to western and northwestern North America from Alaska east to the Northwest Territories and Ontario, southeast to California, Arizona, and New Mexico.[6] It grows in many habitat types, usually those which are non-forested.[2]

Uses

The plant contains a bitter milky juice, which solidifies into a substance that can be chewed as gum; this may have been done by some Plains Indians.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b The Plant List search for Agoseris glauca
  2. ^ a b c d Taylor, Ronald J. (1994) [1992]. Sagebrush Country: A Wildflower Sanctuary (rev. ed.). Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Pub. Co. p. 160. ISBN 0-87842-280-3. OCLC 25708726.
  3. ^ a b c d Spellenberg, Richard (2001) [1979]. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region (rev ed.). Knopf. pp. 353–354. ISBN 978-0-375-40233-3.
  4. ^ a b c d Flora of North America, Agoseris glauca
  5. ^ CalFlora Database: Agoseris glauca var. glauca
  6. ^ CalFlora taxon report, University of California: Agoseris glauca

External links