Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Parry's Goldenrod
Oreochrysum parryi
Aster family (Asteraceae)

This is often a very common plant with many dozens of packed close to each other. (The plant spreads from roots.) Of these dozens of , only a few produce stems and flowers, but there are still enough plants in flower to make this a noticeable species. Flowers are quite small but in numerous clusters. The is very difficult to distinguish from the of Erigeron glacialis which also sprouts from roots and can densely cover an area with . Oreochrysum parryi might also be confused with Solidago multiradiata. To quickly separate the two plants, look for the large leaf-like closely subtending the flowerheads of Oreochrysum parryi. "Oros" is Greek for "mountain" and "chrysos" for "gold." "Parryi" is for botanist Charles Parry, 1823-1890, explorer and naturalist who was called "King of Colorado Botany."


©2012 Richard Spellenberg

Description

with upright stems to 1 1/2', typically 14". Stems rough and purple-tinged. Leaves widest in middle or upper end, to 8" long, , usually smooth, . Leaves become smaller, , and upward on stem. Usually many flowerheads in dense cluster. Outer enlarged, leaf-like, and subtending flowerhead. 12-20, yellow, small (a bit more than 1/5"). an .

Field Marks

Numerous clusters of near each other, leaf-like immediately under the flowerhead.

© Al Schneider

petiolate -- a leaf that has a stem. A sessile leaf has no stem.

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.

phyllaries -- Leaflike bracts covering the flowers before opening and remaining under the flower after it opens. Also called "bracts". Only used with the sunflower family (Asteraceae).

An entire leaf has smooth edges. Not toothed or lobed.

A herb is a plant whose stems die back to the ground in the winter.

ray flowers -- The outer petals of a sunflower or daisy are ray flowers.

Bracts are modified leaves associated with a flower.

basal -- at the base, situated or attached at the base.

achene -- a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. For example, a rose hip holds a few achenes.

fruit -- any seed-bearing structure in flowering plants. It is formed from the ovary after flowering.

sessile -- attached without a stalk. For example, a leaf that clasps the stalk. A petiolate leaf has a stalk.

basal leaves -- a leaf that grows lowest on the stem of a plant.

montane -- inhabiting mountainous country but below timberline.

rhizome -- root-like stems that may either grow horizontally at the soil surface or in other orientations underground.

A clasping leaf suroundes part of all of the stem.

rosette -- usually a dense cluster of leaves at the base of a plant.