Machaeranthera blephariphylla (Texas Tansy-Aster)
Family
ASTERACEAE
Synonyms
MACHAERANTHERA GYMNOCEPHALA; XANTHISMA BLEPHARIPHYLLUM; HAPLOPAPPUS BLEPHARIPHYLLUS; MACHAERANTHERA CORRELLII
Common Name
Texas Tansy-Aster
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)
Remarks
Correll and Johnston (1979) noted that in TX these plants have been known incorrectly as H. gymnocephalus DC.
Conservation Considerations
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
Martin, W.C. and C.R. Hutchens. 1981. A Flora of New Mexico.
Correll, D.S. and M.C. Johnston. 1979. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas, second printing. The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX.
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
For distribution maps and more information, visit Natural Heritage New Mexico