Hieracium gracile | |
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Hieracium gracile in Olympic National Park | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Tribe: | Cichorieae |
Genus: | Hieracium |
Species: | H. gracile |
Binomial name | |
Hieracium gracile Hook. |
Hieracium gracile is a species of hawkweed known by the common name slender hawkweed. It is native to much of the northwestern United States and parts of British Columbia, where it grows in moist mountain forests. Two varieties are native to Alaska.
Contents |
This plant is a perennial herb. It produces a milky sap that is often described as a latex material. It is 3-35cm tall and is unbranched. The stem has long hairs and some hairs that look like stars. Only grows to 2-12 inches tall.
It has basal leaves that are often in a rosette. The leaves look similar to a spoon and are 1-8cm long and 0.3-1.2 cm wide. Most leaves are either hairless or have short little hairs on them.
Each plant usually only contains one to two flowers. They are yellow and often look like dadelions. They have bracts around each flower that have grey star shaped hairs and long black gland tipped hairs. These flowers bloom from June to August.
Slender hawkweed grows in moist to wet open sites. It grows in mid-montane to alpine areas. It is most commonly seen below the timberline in areas with whitebark pine and alpine larch. It likes dry sites at lower elevations from Southern Colorado to Wyoming.
Rice, P., & Halpop, J. (2009). Hawkweed identification. Retrieved from http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/hawkweed/pdf/Montana Hawkweed Bulletin.pdf
Kershaw, L., MacKinnon, A., & Pojar, J. (1998). Plants of the rocky mountains. Auburn, WA: Lone Pine.
Media related to Hieracium gracile at Wikimedia Commons