Saffron Ragwort Packera crocata Aster family (Asteraceae)
Saffron Packera (Packera crocata) is not common but when it finds suitable habitat, it can be abundant -- and easy to spot because of its rich red, orange, and yellow buds and flowers. Look for Packera crocata scattered or in clusters in moist, thickly vegetated of the high mountains. are large but upper leaves are quite small. "Packera" is for John Packer, 20th century Canadian Professor of Botany. "Crocata" is Greek for "orange." Species of the Packera are often given the common name, "Groundsel," as are species of the Senecio to which Packera formerly belonged.
somewhat . Stems erect, 8-32" tall. Herbage or with minute hairs in the . with long slender , 2/5 to 3" long, 2/5 to 1 1/2" wide, to , , or , rounded or not at base. Stem leaves reduced in size upward becoming , and sometimes . Flowerheads 3-30. from 1/6 to 1/3" long and about 1/4" wide. 13-21. green or suffused with red or purple. 6-13, orange or orange-red, sometimes yellow. white. a .
