''Eriophyllum congdonii'', known by the common name Congdon's woolly sunflower,
[ is a rare ]California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae
The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...
.
Distribution
''Eriophyllum congdonii'' is native to the mountains of central Mariposa County, California
Mariposa County () is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 17,131. The county seat is Mariposa. It is located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, north of Fresno, east of ...
, where it grows along the valley of the Merced River
The Merced River (), in the central part of the U.S. state of California, is a -long tributary of the San Joaquin River flowing from the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada into the San Joaquin Valley. It is most well known for its swift and st ...
as it flows through Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park ( ) is an American national park in California, surrounded on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service and covers an ar ...
. One additional population has been reported on the east flank of Telescope Peak
Telescope Peak is the highest point within Death Valley National Park, in the U.S. state of California. It is also the highest point of the Panamint Range, and lies in Inyo County. From atop this desert mountain one can see for over one hundred m ...
in Inyo County
Inyo County () is a county in the eastern central part of the U.S. state of California, located between the Sierra Nevada and the state of Nevada. In the 2020 census, the population was 19,016. The county seat is Independence. Inyo County is o ...
.[Calflora taxon report, University of California, ''Eriophyllum congdonii'' Brandegee Congdon's eriophyllum, Congdon's woolly sunflower ]
/ref>
Description
''Eriophyllum congdonii'' is an annual herb growing mostly erect with branching stems up to 30 centimeters (1 foot) long. The woolly, whitish leaves are 1 to 4 centimeters (0.4-1.6 inches) long and may have a few shallow lobes.[Brandegee, Townshend Stith 1899. Botanical Gazette 27(6): 449–450]
as 'Eriophyllum Congdoni''
The inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...
consists of one flower head
A pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower"; ) is an inflorescence that resembles a flower. The word is sometimes used for other structures that are neither a true flower nor a true inflorescence. Examples of pseudanthia include flower heads, compos ...
containing many gland
In animals, a gland is a group of cells in an animal's body that synthesizes substances (such as hormones) for release into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland).
Structure
De ...
ular yellow disc floret
The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...
s surrounded by 8 to 10 yellow ray florets
The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...
each 3 to 5 millimeters (0.12-0.20 inches) long.[
The fruit is a rough-haired ]achene
An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and indehiscent (they do not ope ...
with a tiny, scaly pappus.[Flora of North America, ''Eriophyllum congdonii'' Brandegee 1899]
/ref>
See also
*Joseph Whipple Congdon
Joseph Whipple Congdon (April 13, 1834 – April 5, 1910) was a lawyer by trade who contributed significantly to early botanical exploration in California, particularly in the Yosemite region, where he resided in Mariposa County, California, Marip ...
References
External links
Jepson Manual Treatment - ''Eriophyllum congdonii''United States Department of Agriculture Plants Profile; Eriophyllum congdonii''Eriophyllum congdonii'' - Calphotos Photo gallery, University of California
congdonii
Endemic flora of California
Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States)
Yosemite National Park
Natural history of Mariposa County, California
Plants described in 1899
{{Asteroideae-stub