Tetraneuris acaulis

Perennials, 2-30+ cm. Caudices ± branched, branches notably thickened distally. Stems 1-35(-60), erect, unbranched. Leaves all basal, new leaves tightly clustered; blades spatulate or oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, entire, glabrous or ± hairy, often lanuginose, sericeous, or strigoso-canescent, eglandular or ± gland-dotted. Heads 1-35(-60) per plant, borne singly. Peduncles 0.5-30 cm, ± hairy. Involucres 7-12 × 8-16 mm. Outer phyllaries 6-12, 3.9-9(-11.5) mm, margins 0-0.4 mm wide, sometimes slightly scarious, abaxial faces ± hairy. Ray florets 8-15(-21); corollas 9-19 mm. Disc florets 25-200+; corollas yellow, 2.7-4.3 mm. Cypselae 2-4 mm; pappi of 5-8 obovate to oblanceolate, aristate scales 2.2-3.7 mm.

Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial, 6-15 cm tall; stems scapose, 1-35, erect, glabrous to villous; caudex branched. Leaves: Basal only, alternate, spatulate, oblanceolate, or linear-oblanceolate, 0.5-10 cm long, 1-8 mm wide, midvein distinct, surfaces glabrous to more-or-less pubescent, often tomentose, silky-hairy, or somewhat strigose, densely gland-dotted, margins entire. Flowers: Heads solitary, borne on scapes; bractlets subtending the involucre 12-18, in 2 series, reflexed; involucre campanulate, 1.4-2.5 cm long, green with dark gray or purplish tips; phyllaries 13-18 in 2 series, margins membranous; ray flowers only, mostly 40-100, yellow; flowers April-September. Fruits: Achene, somewhat obpyramidal, 3-3.7 mm long, pubescent; pappus of 5-8 obovate to oblanceolate awn-tipped scales, 2-3.5 mm long. Ecology: Meadows, rocky slopes, hillsides, roadsides, edges of wooded areas; 1200-2600 m (4000-8500 ft); Apache, Coconino, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, and Yavapai counties; western and southwestern U.S. Notes: Ours, as here described, is var. arizonica. Tetraneuris argentea (perkysue) [=Hymenoxys argentea] has both basal and cauline leaves, the surfaces finely appressed pubescent and more-or-less gland-dotted; heads are solitary or as many as 7 per stem in panicle-like arrays. It typically occurs on hillsides, along roadsides, and in open habitats at 2000-2400 m (6500-8000 ft). Tetraneuris ivesiana (Ives- fournerved daisy) [=Hymenoxys ivesiana] is very similar to T. argentea but the leaf blades are glabrous or sparsely to moderately tomentose to silky pubescent and usually densely gland-dotted; heads are 5- 30 per plant, arranged in panicle- to corymb-like arrays. It occurs in similar habitats. Stemless hymenoxys is occasionally available as nursery stock for the native plant garden. The Hopi use it to make a poultice to alleviate hip and back pain, especially in pregnant women. Editor: Springer et al. 2008