Oregon goldenaster

Ammodia oregona Nuttall, Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 321. 1840; Chrysopsis oregona (Nuttall) A. Gray

Perennials, 15–105 cm; caudices branched. Stems ascending to erect (sometimes ± brittle, sometimes brown), glabrate to densely hispid or densely stipitate-andular (axillary leaf fascicles sometimes present). Leaves: basal and proximal cauline withering by flowering; sessile; mid and distal blades ovate to linear-lanceolate, 12–50 × 4–40 mm, rounded to very weakly clasping, margins flat, strigoso-ciliate, apices acute, faces glabrate to densely hairy and/or stipitate-glandular; branch leaves reduced. Heads (discoid) 1–15 per branch, in corymbiform, openly paniculiform, or racemiform arrays. Peduncles 5–50 mm, sparsely to densely hispid, stipitate-glandular; bracts linear to narrowly lanceolate, 3–9 × 0.5–2 mm. Involucres turbino-cylindric, 7.5–14 mm. Phyllaries in 5–7 series, outer ovate to deltate (2–5 × 0.6–1.7 mm), inner lanceolate, unequal, abaxial faces sparsely to densely hispid or stipitate-glandular (in green zone). Ray florets 0. Disc florets (14–)20–45(–60); corollas ± ampliate, (7.5–)8.5–11(–14) mm, throats and lobes sparsely short-pilose, lobes 0.4–0.9 mm (margins thickened). Cypselae monomorphic, obconic, compressed, 2–5 × 0.35–1.6 mm, ribs 5–10, faces sparsely strigose; pappi tan, outer of linear scales 0.1–0.5 mm (not obvious), inner of 30–40 bristles 4.5–6.4, longest weakly clavate. 2n = 18.

Varieties 4 (4 in the flora); w United States.