Hymenoxys bigelovii

Perennials, 20-70 cm (polycarpic, often with sparingly branched, woody caudices). Stems 1-5, green throughout or purple-red-tinted distally to throughout, usually unbranched distally, ± hairy (often tomentose proximally). Leaves: blades usually simple, rarely lobed (lobes 3), glabrous or ± hairy, eglandular or sparsely gland-dotted (basal leaf bases ± long-villous-woolly); mid leaves usually simple, rarely lobed (lobes 3, terminal lobes 1.5-3 mm wide). Heads 1-5 per plant, usually borne singly, sometimes in paniculiform arrays. Peduncles (1.5-)6-20(-29) cm, ± hairy, densely tomentose distally near involucres. Involucres hemispheric to broadly campanulate, 13-20 × 23-32 mm. Phyllaries in 2 series, unequal; outer 13-19, basally connate only slightly to ¹/5 their lengths, lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate to obovate to oblanceolate, 7-11 mm, apices acuminate to acute; inner 13-18, narrowly lanceolate to oblanceolate, 8.5-12.6 mm, apices aristate. Ray florets 13-15; corollas yellow, 13-26 × 5.4-9.5 mm. Disc florets 100-250+; corollas 5.7-7.4 mm. Cypselae narrowly obpyramidal, 4.2-4.7 mm; pappi of 9-11(-15) obovate to oblanceolate, often aristate scales 4.7-7.3 mm. 2n = 30.

Flowering May-Jun. Roadsides, edges of juniper-pine and pine forests; 1300-2500 m; Ariz., N.Mex.

General: Perennial, 20-70 cm tall; stems 1-5, erect, green throughout or reddish above or throughout; caudex sparingly branched; taprooted. Leaves: Basal and cauline, alternate, simple, rarely lobed (lobes 3), narrowly linear, 5-10 cm long, up to 3 mm wide, thick, fleshy, glabrous to somewhat hairy, sparsely glandular or glands absent, tomentose at the base, margins entire. Flowers: Heads mostly 1-8; involucre obconic to hemispheric; phyllaries 6-9 mm long, yellowish, whitish, or reddish, sparsely to densely tomentose; disk flowers only, 20-40, 3-4.5 mm long, yellow, densely glandular; flowers June- October. Fruits: Achene, narrowly obpyramidal, 4.2-4.7 mm long, pubescent; pappus of 9-11 obovate to oblanceolate scales. Ecology: Dry slopes, pine forests, juniper-pine woodlands, roadsides; 1500-2300 m (5000-7500 ft); Apache, Coconino, Gila, Greenlee, Navajo, and Yavapai counties; southwestern U.S. Notes: The basal rosette of Tragopogon dubius can be similar to that of Hymenoxys bigelovii, but the former is distinguished by having milky sap. Bigelow-s rubberweed can be propagated by direct sowing or transplanting. It is used medicinally by the Hopi for pain in the hips and back and also as a purgative. Editor: Springer et al. 2008