Haplopappus spinulosus

      
Spiny Ironplant

Flower Head, Oblique View
Hidden Valley
19-Aug-2006

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Spinulosus:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species.  
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 leaves mostly pinnatifid, the lower ones with the segments toothed or lobed; NOT [leaves obscurely toothed or entire]

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flowers with both tubular and ray florets; NOT [flowers having only tubular florets]

 
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Haplopappus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.
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plants with a taproot; NOT [plants with fibrous roots]

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juice watery; NOT milky

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leaves alternate or basal; NOT opposite

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leaves mostly basal, with stem leaves reduced; NOT [stems leafy almost to inflorescence]

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leaves often somewhat spinescent

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heads usually solitary at ends of branches; NOT [heads small and numerous, in terminal or axillary clusters]

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involucral bracts in 2 or more series; NOT [involucral bracts usually one series]

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involucral bracts well-imbricated; NOT [involucral bracts not or scarcely imbricated]

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receptacle naked

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flower heads with florets both tubular and ray

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ray florets when present pistillate or neuter; not perfect

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ray florets yellow; NOT [ray florets usually blue, purple, pink, or white]

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stamens united to form a tube around the pistil

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pappus composed of hairs; NOT [pappus, when present, composed of scales, bristles, firm awns, chaff, or a crown]

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pappus single, bristles sometimes unequal but not distinctly divided into an inner and outer series of two lengths; NOT [pappus double, outer series composed of scales or small bristles, inconspicuous, distinctly shorter than the inner]