Townsendia glabella
| Townsendia glabella | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Townsendia |
| Species: | T. glabella |
| Binomial name | |
| Townsendia glabella | |
Townsendia glabella is a rare plant in the sunflower family that only grows in southwestern Colorado.
Description
Townsendia glabella is a small flower, getting no more than 1 to 5 centimeters (0.39–1.97 in) tall. It has flower heads with 12 to more than 34 white, petal-like ray flowers around their edges. The petals with sometimes be blue or pink on their upper surface and are 5–14 millimeters long.[2]
Taxonomy
Townsendia glabella was scientifically described and named in 1880 by Asa Gray. It is part of the Townsendia genus, which is classified in the Asteraceae family. It has no botanical synonyms or subspecies.[3] It is very similar to Townsendia rothrockii and the botanist John L. Strother suggested in the Flora of North America that it might be considered a synonym of that species.[2]
Names
The scientific name, glabella, means 'smooth' in Botanical Latin;[4] it is similarly known as the smooth Townsend daisy.[5] It is also known by the common names Gray's Townsend daisy or Gray's Easter daisy.[4]
Range and habitat
Townsendia glabella is endemic to Colorado. According to NatureServe it grows in just four counties in the southwestern corner of the state, Archuleta, La Plata, Montezuma, and Rio Grande counties in the southwestern corner of the state;[1] however the second edition of the Flora of Colorado also lists it in Mesa and Montrose counties in the west.[5] It grows at elevations of 2,100–2,600 meters (6,900–8,500 ft) shale slopes and dry places within pine forests.[2]
Conservation
The conservation organization NatureServe evaluated Townsendia glabella in 2024 and rated it as vulnerable. They report 35 populations, but just 6 with good or excellent viability.[1]
References
Citations
- 1 2 3 NatureServe 2026.
- 1 2 3 Strother 2020.
- ↑ POWO 2026.
- 1 2 Heil et al. 2013, p. 309.
- 1 2 Ackerfield 2022, p. 213.
Sources
Books
- Ackerfield, Jennifer (2022). Flora of Colorado (Second ed.). Fort Worth, Texas: Botanical Research Institute of Texas Press. ISBN 978-1-889878-89-8. OCLC 1350496037.
- Heil, Kenneth D.; O'Kane, Steve L. Jr.; Reeves, Linda Mary; Clifford, Arnold (2013). Flora of the Four Corners Region: Vascular Plants of the San Juan River Drainage, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah (First ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden. ISBN 978-1-930723-84-9. ISSN 0161-1542. LCCN 2012949654. OCLC 859541992. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
Web sources
- NatureServe (3 April 2026). "Townsendia glabella". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 2 May 2026.
- POWO (2026). "Townsendia glabella A.Gray". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2 May 2026.
- Strother, John L. (5 November 2020) [In print 2006]. "Townsendia glabella". Flora of North America. ISBN 978-0-19-530564-7. OCLC 179887072. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2026.
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