Carlquistia | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Tribe: | Madiinae |
Genus: | Carlquistia |
Species: | C. muirii |
Binomial name | |
Carlquistia muirii (A.Gray) B.G.Baldw. |
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Synonyms | |
Raillardella muirii |
Carlquistia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the aster family containing the single species Carlquistia muirii. Formerly named Raillardiopsis muirii, the plant was reexamined in the 1990s and moved to a new genus of its own, separate from similar and closely related genera, such as Madia.[1] The new genus was named for the botanist Sherwin Carlquist.[1]
This plant is related to the Silversword alliance of Hawaiian plants.[1][2]
Contents |
Carlquistia muirii is a rhizomatous perennial herb forming clumps or mats of stems with hairy green pointed leaves up to about 4 centimeters long. Leaves are arranged oppositely on the lower stem, and alternately higher up. The inflorescence is usually made up of a solitary glandular flower head on an erect stalk. The head contains many yellow disc florets and lacks any ray florets. The fruit is a very narrow achene which may exceed one centimeter in length including its pappus of plumelike bristles.
This species Carlquistia muirii is endemic to California. It has a disjunct distribution, occurring in the southern Sierra Nevada and on the other western side of the San Joaquin Valley around the Ventana Double Cone in the Santa Lucia Mountains.[3]