Agoseris glauca

Agoseris glauca is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names false dandelion,[2] pale agoseris, prairie agoseris, and short-beaked agoseris. It is native to western North America.

Agoseris glauca
Mount Rainier National Park

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Agoseris
Species:
A. glauca
Binomial name
Agoseris glauca
Synonyms[1]
Synonymy
  • Agoseris agrestis Osterh.
  • Agoseris altissima Rydb.
  • Agoseris apiculata Greene
  • Agoseris aspera (Rydb.) Rydb.
  • Agoseris dasycarpa Greene
  • Agoseris eisenhoweri B.Boivin
  • Agoseris isomeris Greene
  • Agoseris lacera Greene
  • Agoseris lanulosa Greene
  • Agoseris lapathifolia Greene
  • Agoseris longissima Greene
  • Agoseris longula Greene
  • Agoseris maculata Rydb.
  • Agoseris microdonta Greene
  • Agoseris procera Greene
  • Agoseris pubescens Rydb.
  • Agoseris pumila (Nutt.) Rydb.
  • Agoseris scorzonerifolia (Schrad.) Greene
  • Agoseris turbinata Rydb.
  • Agoseris vestita Greene
  • Agoseris vicinalis Greene
  • Agoseris villosa Rydb.
  • Ammogeton scorzonerifolius Schrad.
  • Microrhynchus glaucus (Pursh) D.C.Eaton
  • Tragopogon glaucus (Pursh) Steud.
  • Troximon glaucum Pursh
  • Troximon pubescens (Rydb.) A.Nelson
  • Troximon pumilum Nutt.
  • Troximon villosum (Rydb.) A.Nelson

Description

Agoseris glauca is a perennial herb which varies in general appearance. Growing up to 70 centimeters (28 inches),[3] it produces a basal patch of leaves of various shapes which may be as long as the plant is high,[4] but are typically up to 35 cm (14 in).[3]

There is no stem, but from May to September[3] the plant flowers in a stemlike inflorescence which is sometimes erect, reaching heights near .5 metres (1+1⁄2 feet) or taller. The flower head is 1–3 cm (1⁄2–1+1⁄4 in) wide with layers of pointed phyllaries. The head is ligulate, bearing many yellow ray florets but no disc florets.[4] The rays may become pinkish with age.[2]

The fruit is an achene with a body up to a centimeter long and a pappus, which may be almost 2 cm in length.[4]

Similar species

Other species in the genus known as false dandelion or mountain dandelion, as well as true dandelions, can be distinguished from A. glauca by differences in their fruit.[3]

Taxonomy
Varieties[1][4]
  • Agoseris glauca var. dasycephala (Torr. & A. Gray) Jeps.
  • Agoseris glauca var. glauca[5]

Distribution and habitat

The plant is native to western and northwestern North America from Alaska east to the Northwest Territories and Ontario, southeast to California, Arizona, and New Mexico.[6] It grows in many habitat types, usually those which are non-forested.[2]

Uses

The plant contains a bitter milky juice, which solidifies into a substance that can be chewed as gum; this may have been done by some Plains Indians.[2]

References
  1. The Plant List search for Agoseris glauca
  2. Taylor, Ronald J. (1994) [1992]. Sagebrush Country: A Wildflower Sanctuary (rev. ed.). Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Pub. Co. p. 160. ISBN 0-87842-280-3. OCLC 25708726.
  3. Spellenberg, Richard (2001) [1979]. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region (rev ed.). Knopf. pp. 353–354. ISBN 978-0-375-40233-3.
  4. Flora of North America, Agoseris glauca
  5. CalFlora Database: Agoseris glauca var. glauca
  6. CalFlora taxon report, University of California: Agoseris glauca


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