Askellia pygmaea explained

Askellia pygmaea, the dwarf alpine hawksbeard, is a species of Asian and North American plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae.

Distribution

It is native to western, northern, and eastern Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Alberta, Nunavut, Quebec, Labrador, Newfoundland), the western United States (Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, California), Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and western China (Tibet + Xinjiang).[1]

Description

Askellia pygmaea is a perennial up to 20 cm (8 inches) tall, with a deep taproot and spreading by means of underground rhizomes thus forming dense clumps. Stems are sometimes erect, but sometimes trailing along the ground. One plant can have more than 80 small flower heads, each with 9-12 yellow ray florets but no disc florets.[2] [3]

Notes and References

  1. http://bonap.net/MapGallery/State/Askellia%20pygmaea.png Biota of North America Program, 2014 state-level distribution map
  2. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250066448 Flora of North America, Dwarf alpine hawksbeard, Crepis nana Richardson
  3. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=250097622 Flora of China, 矮小假苦菜 ai xiao jia ku cai Askellia pygmaea (Ledebour) Sennikov, Komarovia. 5: 86. 2008.