Wyethia mollis
Encyclopedia
Wyethia mollis is a species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common name woolly mule's ears. The plant is hairy to woolly in texture, sometimes losing its hairs with age. The species name mollis means "soft", in reference to the soft hairs on the leaves.
Wyethia mollis is a coarse perennial herb native to the mountains of northern California
(especially on the east side of the Sierra Nevada), southeastern Oregon
, and western Nevada
, where it grows in forests and other mountain habitat such as dry open meadows with sagebrush. It grows from a tough taproot
and caudex
unit and producing a stem 30 to 40 centimeters tall, but reaching a meter in height at times. It does well in volcanic soils because of its deep roots, and can sometimes cover an entire hillside, as in the image at lower right.
The leaves (as in the image below) have lance-shaped or oval blades up to 40 centimeters long which are glandular and coated in woolly hairs, especially when new. They usually grow up vertically from the base. The inflorescence
is a solitary flower head
, as in the image below, or a cluster of 2 or 3 heads, each with up to 11 yellow ray florets which may be up to 4.5 centimeters long. The fruit is an achene
about a centimeter long, not counting its pappus
; the seeds are edible, tasting similar to sunflower seeds.
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...
known by the common name woolly mule's ears. The plant is hairy to woolly in texture, sometimes losing its hairs with age. The species name mollis means "soft", in reference to the soft hairs on the leaves.
Wyethia mollis is a coarse perennial herb native to the mountains of northern California
California
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...
(especially on the east side of the Sierra Nevada), southeastern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, and western Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, where it grows in forests and other mountain habitat such as dry open meadows with sagebrush. It grows from a tough taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
and caudex
Caudex
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...
unit and producing a stem 30 to 40 centimeters tall, but reaching a meter in height at times. It does well in volcanic soils because of its deep roots, and can sometimes cover an entire hillside, as in the image at lower right.
The leaves (as in the image below) have lance-shaped or oval blades up to 40 centimeters long which are glandular and coated in woolly hairs, especially when new. They usually grow up vertically from the base. 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...
is a solitary flower head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
, as in the image below, or a cluster of 2 or 3 heads, each with up to 11 yellow ray florets which may be up to 4.5 centimeters long. The fruit is an achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
about a centimeter long, not counting its 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...
; the seeds are edible, tasting similar to sunflower seeds.