Pygmy Goldenweed

Tonestus pygmaeus is uncommon in Wyoming, known only from the Snowy Range of the Medicine Bow Mountains. Attribution of this species to Montana is based on historic collections.

Perennials, loosely cespitose, 1–9 cm; with branched caudices surmounting well-developed taproots. Stems densely hairy, sometimes also stipitate-glandular. Leaves: basal blades linear to spatulate, 10–50(–95) × 1.5–6 mm; cauline blades oblong to broadly lanceolate, 15–34 × 3–7 mm, gradually reduced distally; 3–5-nerved, margins entire, ciliate, sometimes stipitate-glandular, faces eglandular or sparsely stipitate-glandular. Heads 1(–2). Peduncles 3–8 mm. Involucres broadly campanulate, 8–20 × 7–12 mm. Phyllaries 16–34, in 3–4 (–5) series, 1- or weakly 3–5-nerved, ± equal, margins ciliolate at least distally; outer and mid green, ovate to oblong, 4.5–10.5 × 1.5–5.5 mm, foliaceous, apices rounded to obtuse, faces sparsely stipitate-glandular distally; inner green or usually anthocyanic, linear to narrowly oblong, 5–9 × 0.9–4 mm, chartaceous proximally, margins scarious, often fimbriate, sometimes stipitate-glandular, apices acute to acuminate, s ometimes reflexed, faces sparsely stipitate-glandu lar distally. Ray florets 10–16(–35); laminae elliptic, 6.5–8.5 × 1.5–3.5 mm. Disc florets 43–66; corollas narrowly funnelform, 4.5–7.5 mm, lobes erect to spreading, 0.8–1.2 mm, lengths ca. ¹ / 7 corollas; anthers 2.2–2.8 mm; style-branch appendages lanceolate, 0.8–1.1 × 0.3 mm wide, stigmatic lines 0.6–1 mm. Cypselae cylindric, 2–5 mm, 8–9-nerved, faces villous; pappus bristles ± 34–51, flexible. 2n = 18.

Stenotus pygmaeus Torrey & A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 2: 237. 1842; Haplopappus pygmaeus (Torrey & A. Gray) A. Gray