Pinaleno Mountain Rubberweed

Perennials, 30–150 cm (poly-carpic, with sparingly branched, woody caudices). Stems 1–3, usually purple-red-tinted proximally, branched distally, glabrous or ± hairy. Leaves: blades simple or lobed (lobes 3–19+), glabrous or sparsely hairy, gland-dotted; mid leaves lobed (lobes 3–19+, terminal lobes 0.7–1.3 mm wide). Heads 25–400+ per plant, in paniculiform to corymbiform arrays. Peduncles 0.4–2 cm, glabrous or ± hairy. Involucres campanulate to narrowly campanulate, 5–7.5 × 2.2–4.5 mm. Phyllaries in 2 series, unequal; outer 3–5, basally connate ¹/2–³/4 their lengths, obovate to oblanceolate, 4–6 mm, apices acuminate, acute, obtuse, or rounded; inner 3–5, obovate to oblanceolate, 2.5–4.5 mm, apices acuminate, acute, obtuse, or rounded, sometimes mucronate. Ray florets 3–5; corollas yellow, extending beyond phyllaries, 3.4–6 × 1.7–4 mm. Disc florets 6–15 (functionally staminate); corollas 3–4 mm. Cypselae obconic, 1.7–3.5 mm (hairy, hairs straight or wavy); pappi 0, or of 2–6 ± lanceolate scales 1–2.5 mm.

Plummera ambigens S. F. Blake, J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 19: 276, fig. 1a–i. 1929