Species: Stephanomeria minor var. minor (Hook.) Nutt.

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Stephanomeria minor var. minor (Hook.) Nutt.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Asteraceae or Compositae

Genus:

Stephanomeria

Species Synonyms:

Stephanomeria tenuifolia (Raf.) Hall

Common Names:

narrowleaf wirelettuce
narrow-leaved rush-pink

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

British Columbia, southwestern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southwestern Saskatchewan

Ecoregion:

Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

open, dry, rocky places

Associated speceis:

little rose, plains prickly pear, povertyweed, reedgrass, silver sage

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Narrowleaf wirelettuce is endangered in part because it is very difficult to tell from Lygodesmia and Shinnersoseris in the field and is likely somewhat underreported.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

20 – 50 cm

Roots:

rhizomes deep, creeping

Stems:

hairless, latex white

Leaves:

alternate, to 8 cm long, < 3 mm wide, uppermost leaves reduced and bract-like, appearing whorled in leaf-axils, linear to thread-like, hairless to slightly hairy, margin smooth to slightly toothed, lower leaves toothed

Inflorescence:

heads single or clustered, terminal, ray flowers only; bracts 7 – 10 mm tall

Flowers:

ray flowers 5, fertile, petals pink

Fruits:

achenes 4 – 6 mm tall, ribbed but smooth; pappus feathery, whitish

STEPHANOMERIA FROM MORPHOLICALLY SIMILAR SPECIES IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Pappus simple; lower leaves entire	2
1 Pappus plumose; lower leaves toothed or divided	3

2 Perennial; branching pattern appearing irregular from the top; latex yellowish-green; leaves reduced, usually less than 5 cm and scale-like; bracts usually 5; pappus brown	Lygodesmia juncea
2 Annual; branching pattern appearing dichotomous from the top; latex white; leaves 5 – 20 cm long; bracts usually 7 – 9; pappus white	Shinnersoseris rostrata

3 Plants < 30 cm tall; leaves not linear; margin lobed, with lobes downward pointing; achenes bumpy	Stephanomeria runcinata
3 Plants 20 – 50 cm tall; leaves linear to thread-like; margin entire to toothed; achenes ribbed but smooth	Stephanomeria minor var. minor