Species: Picradeniopsis oppositifolia (Nutt.) Rydb. ex Britt.

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Picradeniopsis oppositifolia (Nutt.) Rydb. ex Britt.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Asteraceae or Compositae

Genus:

Picradeniopsis

Species Synonyms:

Bahia oppositifolia (Nutt.) Gray

Common Names:

oppositeleaf bahia
plains bahia

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southwestern Alberta – southwestern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southwestern Saskatchewan; Divide – Nashlyn, Grasslands National Park

Ecoregion:

Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

dry clay soils in grasslands

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Picradeniopsis oppositifolia is endangered because it is highly regionally restricted in the province and most local populations are small. This species faces threats such as occurring in heavily populated areas, fragile habitats, and planned developments.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

10 – 20 cm

Roots:

rhizome laterally creeping; taproot

Stems:

caudex may be present; stems solitary to several, very leafy, herb-subshrub, puberulent with soft, white hairs, impressed-punctate glandular

Leaves:

cauline, opposite, ternately divided, ultimate divisions 1 – 3 mm wide, linear-lanceolate, soft-white hairy, entire

Inflorescence:

heads 1 – 6, 1 – 1.5 cm broad; phyllaries 7 – 9 in 2 series, 4 – 8 mm long, 1 – 4 mm wide, lanceolate to ovate, dark green, hairs white

Flowers:

ligulate florets 4 – 7, to 4 mm long, pistillate, fertile, yellow; tubular florets 30 – 40, perfect, fertile

Fruits:

achene distinctly glandular; pappus scales 8 – 9, 3 – 5 mm long, ovate, midrib indistinct halfway up scale

ASTERACEAE WITH RADIATE HEADS AND NAKED RECEPTACLE IN SASKATCHEWAN
There is only one species of Picradeniopsis in Saskatchewan.

1 Pappus of capillary bristles	2
1 Pappus of scales	6

2 Involucre in 1 series	Senecio
2 Involucre in several series	3

3 Disc pappus double	Heterotheca
3 Disc pappus single	4

4 Taproots; leaves often somewhat spinescent	Haplopappus
4 Fibrous roots; leaves not spinescent	5

5 At least some of the leaves glandular-punctate	Euthamia
5 None of the leaves glandular-punctate	Solidago

6 Yellow-brown oil glands on leaves and involucre	Dyssodia
6 No coloured oil glands (may be stipitate glandular)	7

7 Leaves opposite	Picradeniopsis
7 Leaves alternate (lower leaves may be opposite)	8

8 Pappus of 2 deciduous awns; involucre sticky	Grindelia
8 Pappus of scales; involucre not sticky (except in Gutierrezia)	9

9 Involucral bracts reflexed	10
9 Involucre bracts not reflexed	11

10 Receptacle naked, heads < 35 mm; all florets yellow	Helenium
10 Receptacle with setae, heads > 35 mm; disc florets purple, rays with purple bases	Gaillardia

11 Heads 3 – 5 mm tall, many; involucre glandular-glutinous	Gutierrezia
11 Heads > 5 mm tall; involucre not glandular	12

12 Lower leaves opposite; seeds long (4 times as long as wide)	Bahia
12 All leaves alternate; seeds short (< 4 times as long as wide)	Hymenoxys