''Lagophylla ramosissima'' is a 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 ...
. It is known by the common name branched hareleaf, or branched lagophylla. It is native to the western United States where it can be found in many types of habitat, especially in dry areas. This is an annual herb producing spindly, erect stems which are variable in height. The leaves on the lower part of the plant are up to 12 centimeters long and fall off the plant early on in the season. The upper leaves are smaller and have woolly, glandular surfaces. 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 ...
is sparsely flowered in
flower heads
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 ...
which open in the evening and close early in the morning. Each small head has five short light yellow ray florets with lobed tips, and six yellow disc florets. The fruit is an
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 ...
a few millimeters long with no
pappus.
External links
Jepson Manual TreatmentUSDA Plants ProfilePhoto gallery
ramosissima
Flora of the Western United States
Flora without expected TNC conservation status
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