Simsia calva

(A. Gray & Engelmann) A. Gray

Boston J. Nat. Hist. 6: 228. 1850.

Common names: Awnless bush sunflower
Illustrated
Basionym: Barrattia calva A. Gray & Engelmann Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 1: 48. 1847
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 21. Treatment on page 140.

Perennials or subshrubs, 30–150 cm (roots ± fleshy, fusiform-thickened). Leaves: petiole bases dilated (pairs fused to form discs at nodes); blades ovate, 2–8 × 1.5–6 cm, sometimes 3-lobed. Heads usually borne singly, sometimes in 2s or 3s. Peduncles 3–30 cm. Involucres 10–12 × 7–16 mm. Phyllaries 21–43, subequal to unequal. Ray-florets 8–21; corollas light orange-yellow (abaxial faces often brown or purple-lined, or wholly brown or purple), laminae 5–16 mm. Disc-florets (26–) 90–154; anthers usually yellow, rarely black. Cypselae 3.5–5.7 mm; pappi 0 or to 4 mm. 2n = 34.


Phenology: Flowering year round.
Habitat: Sand to heavy clay soils, rock crevices, often limestone, prairies, thickets, oak savannas, along streams, roadsides, upland pine or pine-oak forests
Elevation: 30–2400 m

Discussion

Simsia calva is widespread throughout central, southern, and southwestern Texas from the southern Texas Plains to the trans-Pecos mountains and into southeastern New Mexico.

Simsia calva is distinguished from S. lagasceiformis by its perennial habit, fusiform-thickened roots, petioles winged and fused at bases to form nodal discs, heads borne singly or in 2s or 3s, and anthers usually yellow, rarely black. The common name, awnless bush sunflower, is not truly appropriate. Most populations are epappose; some have minute scales, and some populations of S. lagasceiformis (normally pappose) are epappose.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Simsia calva"
not tailed +, rounded +  and obtuse +
black +  and yellow +
pale +  and dark +
connate +  and distinct +
subequal +
scarious +
usually ovate +  and lanceolate +
usually deltate +  and lanceolate +
indeterminate +  and determinate +
David M. Spooner +
(A. Gray & Engelmann) A. Gray +
cordate +  and cuneate +
Barrattia calva +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
3-lobed;ovate +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
winged;ribbed;winged;ribbed +
tuberculate +  and rugose +
barbellulate +  and barbellate +
Awnless bush sunflower +
light orange-yellow +
thin-margined +
hairy +  and glabrous +
flattened +
fertile +  and bisexual +
fertile +  and bisexual +
N.Mex. +, Tex. +  and Mexico +
30–2400 m +
less stipitate-glandular +  and glandular-puberulent +
pistillate +, staminate +  and neuter +
winged +  and beaked +
dispersed +
Sand to heavy clay soils, rock crevices, often limestone, prairies, thickets, oak savannas, along streams, roadsides, upland pine or pine-oak forests +
indeterminate +
homogamous +  and heterogamous +
each +  and sessile +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
campanulate +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br />) +
alternate +  and opposite +
triangular +
dentate to pinnatifid or palmatifid +  and entire +
2-carpellate +
persistent +
coroniform +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
Flowering year round. +
21 +  and 43 +
subequal +  and unequal +
Boston J. Nat. Hist. +
bearing subulate enations +, hairy +  and bristly +
subulate +
exalbuminous +
Illustrated +
ascending +  and erect +
appendaged +  and truncate +
hirsutulous +  and glabrous +
papillate +
Undefined (tribe Undefined) subtribe Lagasceinae +
Simsia calva +
species +
cylindric +
toothed +  and entire +
30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br /> (150 cm1,500 mm <br />1.5 m <br />) +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br />) +