Synonyms: Aster gymnocephalus auct. non (DC.) Gray; Haplopappus blephariphyllus Gray; Machaeranthera correllii Shinners; Machaeranthera gymnocephala auct. non (DC.) Shinners

Description: Perennial; stems erect to about 30 cm tall, leafy to apex. Herbage scabrous-puberulous nearly glabrous, not glandular. Leaves oblong spatulate to lanceolate, bristle-toothed. Heads on naked peduncles. Rays white, occasionally bluish on the underside. Achenes sericeous.

Distribution: Western Texas (in Limestone Mountains (Diablo, Glass and Guadalupe)), New Mexico, and Coahuila, Mexico (Correll and Johnston, 1979).

Habitat: Occasional in PJ woodland on crumbly, white calcareous soils (Herbarium sheet- 8 October 1990 R. Sivinski in New Mexico 88764 (UNM))

Broad meadow surrounded by PJ woodland (Herbarium sheet - 16 Aug. 1949 S Gordon & D Dunn in New Mexico 10258 (UNM))

Dry ground in open plains (Martin and Hutchins, 1981)

Plants Seen or Cited: UNM Herbarium specimens;
28 July 1905. EO Wooton, New Mexico (#18973).
6 Aug. 1905. E.O. Wooton, New Mexico (#18974).
29 Aug. 1948. Dunn and Lint, New Mexico (#10256).
16 Aug. 1949. S. Gordon and D. Dunn, New Mexico (#10258) and (#10255).
14 Sept. 1954. E. Williams, New Mexico (#17004).
8 October 1990. R. Sivinski, New Mexico (#88764).

Comments: Correll and Johnston (1979) noted that in TX these plants have been known incorrectly as H. gymnocephalus DC.

Status: Currently NMNHP/TNC Rank: G3(?) and S(?). Proposed to change to G3 and S3. This species seems to be relatively widespread even though herbarium specimens and documented observations are lacking.

Important Literature:

Correll, D.S. and M.C. Johnston. 1979. Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas.

Martin, W.C. and C.R. Hutchins. 1981. A Flora of New Mexico.

Machaeranthera gymnocephala (DC.) Shinners in Field & Labroratory 18: 40 1950

Aster gymnocephalus (DC.) A. Gray in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts and Sciences 15: 32 1879

Aplopappus serratus Gray. Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis 5: p. 346 1836

Information Compiled By: Juanita A.R. Ladyman, 1998