Sartwellia flaveriae

Leaf blades 20-50 × 1-2.5 mm. Ray laminae ca. 2 mm. Disc corollas ca. 2 mm. Cypselae 1.5-2 mm; pappi ca. 0.5+ mm. 2n = 36.

Flowering mostly late summer, rarely spring. Usually gypseous soils; 700-1900 m; N.Mex., Tex.

FNA 2006

Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial herbs from a taproot, more or less succulent, 10–30 cm tall; stems ascending to erect, branching from near the base. Leaves: Leaves opposite and sessile along the stems; blades linear to filiform, 2-5 cm long and 1-2 mm wide, the margins entire and the surfaces glabrous or glabrescent. Flowers: Flower heads yellow and radiate, clustered in tight, flat-topped panicles; involucres campanulate, 2–3 mm diameter, the bracts (phyllaries) in a single series of 5, oblong to obovate, more or less membranous; ray florets 3–5 per flower head, the laminae (ray petals) 2 mm long, yellow; disc florets 5–15 per flower head, 2 mm high, yellow. Fruits: Achenes cylindric, 2 mm long; topped with a pappus of scales less than 1 mm long. Ecology: Found in gypsum soils and outcrops; from 2,000-6,500 ft (610–1981 m); flowers mostly in late summer, rarely spring. Distribution: s NM and adjacent w TX; south to n MEX Notes: This species is uncommon, limited to gypsum soils, and has a quite restricted range in southern and central New Mexico and neighboring portions of Texas and Mexico. Look for the slightly succulent, bright green linear leaves and tight terminal clusters of yellow flower heads. The plant superficially resembles a snakeweed (Gutierrezia spp.), but S. flaveriae is not glandular or resinous like a Gutierrezia. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Sartwellia honors Henry Parker Sartwell (1792-1867), American scientist and botanist, and student of the genus Carex; flaveriae comes from the Latin flavus, yellow, for the yellow flowers. Synonyms: Sartwellia puberula Editor: AHazelton 2017