Phalacroseris
Encyclopedia
Phalacroseris is a monotypic genus
of flowering plants in the daisy family
containing the single species Phalacroseris bolanderi, which is known by the common name Bolander's mock dandelion.
. The leaves are located around the base of the plant, growing up to 20 centimeters long and linear to somewhat lance-shaped. The inflorescence
reaches up to 35 centimeters tall and is topped with a head
filled with many golden ray florets. There are no disc florets. The fruit is a hairless, speckled, four-angled achene
about 3 millimeters long. There is usually no pappus
, but some achenes have vestigial pappus structures on their flat tops.
, where it grows in wet habitat such as moist meadows, bog
s, and clearings in subalpine
coniferous forest.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of flowering plants in the daisy family
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
containing the single species Phalacroseris bolanderi, which is known by the common name Bolander's mock dandelion.
Description
Phalacroseris is a perennial herb with fleshy herbage growing from a woody caudexCaudex
A caudex is a form of stem morphology appearing as a thickened, short, perennial stem that is either underground or near ground level . It may be swollen for the purpose of water storage, especially in xerophytes...
. The leaves are located around the base of the plant, growing up to 20 centimeters long and linear to somewhat lance-shaped. The inflorescence
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. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
reaches up to 35 centimeters tall and is topped with a head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
filled with many golden ray florets. There are no disc florets. The fruit is a hairless, speckled, four-angled achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
about 3 millimeters long. There is usually no pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
, but some achenes have vestigial pappus structures on their flat tops.
Distribution
It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada of CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows in wet habitat such as moist meadows, bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
s, and clearings in subalpine
Subalpine
The subalpine zone is the biotic zone immediately below tree line around the world. Species that occur in this zone depend on the location of the zone on the Earth, for example, Snow Gum in Australia, or Subalpine Larch, Mountain Hemlock and Subalpine Fir in western North America.Trees in the...
coniferous forest.