Home/Species/ Round Woolly-heads

Psilocarphus brevissimus

Nutt.

Round Woolly-heads

G4Apparently Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank

Data deficientIUCN

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.157836

Element CodePDAST7R010

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

IUCNData deficient

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderAsterales

FamilyAsteraceae

GenusPsilocarphus

COSEWICPS:E,SC

Other Common Names

Dwarf Woollyheads (EN) Psilocarphe nain (FR) Short Woollyheads (EN) short woollyheads (EN)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Conservation Status

Review Date2012-03-28

Change Date2001-06-05

Range Extent Comments

Eastern Washington to Baja California east to western Montana, eastern Wyoming and northern Utah, with disjunct populations in Chile and Argentina.

Ecology & Habitat

Description

Dwarf Woolly-heads is a low annual with erect to prostrate, branched stems that are up to 5 cm tall. The alternate, lance-shaped leaves are 5-25 mm long, and the foliage is densely covered with white, tangled hairs. Minute flowers are borne in globose, woolly heads that are partially hidden among the upper leaves. Each flower and seed in the head is enclosed by a long-hairy bract that is ca. 3 mm long. A pappus is lacking.

Diagnostic Characteristics

Wooly annual composites that look similar include GNAPHALIUM PALUSTRE, a native species of vernally moist habitats, and FILAGO ARVENSIS, an introduced upland species. Both differ from PSILOCARPHUS BREVISSIMUS in having pappus bristles on the achene. A hand lens or microscope are needed for positive identification.

Other Nations (2)

CanadaN2

Province	Rank	Native
Alberta	S2	Yes
Saskatchewan	S1	Yes
British Columbia	S1	Yes

United StatesNNR

Province	Rank	Native
Montana	S2	Yes
Nevada	S3	Yes
Washington	SNR	Yes
Wyoming	S2	Yes
Idaho	S2	Yes
Utah	SNR	Yes
Oregon	SNR	Yes
California	SNR	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (3)

California (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Mt. Hoffman	Modoc National Forest	9,780
Quatal	Los Padres National Forest	7,253

Utah (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Swan Creek Mountain	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	9,390

References (2)

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 19. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 6: Asteraceae, part 1. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 579 pp.
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.