Vasey's Rubberweed

Perennials, 20–60 cm (polycarpic; often with moderately branched, woody caudices). Stems 1–10, green throughout or sometimes purple-red-tinted proximally, sparingly or moderately branched distally, ± hairy. Leaves: blades usually lobed (lobes 3–23), glabrous or sparsely hairy, gland-dotted (basal leaf bases sparsely, if at all, long-villous-woolly); mid leaves lobed (lobes 5–21, terminal lobes 0.8–1.2 mm wide). Heads 10–50+ per plant, in paniculiform to corymbiform arrays. Peduncles 1.5–5.5 cm, ± hairy. Involucres campanulate, 8–9 × 8–11 mm. Phyllaries in 2 series, unequal; outer 8–11, basally connate ¹/2–²/3 their lengths, obovate, 4.5–6 mm, apices acute; inner 8–12, obovate, 4.5–6 mm, apices mucronate. Ray florets 8–11; corollas yellow, 9–15 × 4–7 mm. Disc florets 25–80+; corollas 3.5–4.2 mm. Cypselae narrowly obpyramidal, 2–2.7 mm; pappi of 5–6 obovate, aristate scales 1.7–2.7 mm. 2n = 30.

Actinella vaseyi A. Gray, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 17: 219. 1882

Hymenoxys vaseyi (A. Gray) Cockerell, Bull. Torrey Club
31: 493. 1904.
Actinella Vaseyi A. Gray, Proc. Am. Acad. 17: 219. 1882. Picradenia Vaseyi Greene, Pittonia 3: 271. 1898.
A perennial, with a thick tap-root, scarcely cespitose; stem 3-5 dm. high, glabrate or minutely puberulent, striate, branched above; leaves 3-8 cm. long, dissected into 3-5 linear-filiform divisions, glabrate, conspicuously punctate ; heads rather numerous in round-topped paniculate corymbs; peduncles 2-5 cm. long; involucre turbinate, 6 mm. high, 8-10 mm. broad; outer bracts 7-9, carinate, glandular-granuliferous, united more than half their length, the free portions ovate-triangular; inner bracts broadly oval, rounded and mucronate at the apex, villous and erose on the margins; ligules about 7 mm. long, 3 mm. wide; disk-corollas about 4 mm. long; tube about 1 mm. long; achenes 3 mm. long, densely hirsute; squamellae oblong, nearly
2 mm. long, obtuse or acutish.
Type locality: Organ Mountains, New Mexico.
Distribution: Organ Mountains of New Mexico. *

Hymenoxys vaseyi is a North American species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name Vasey's rubberweed. It is native to the southwestern United States, primarily in New Mexico with a few populations in extreme western Texas (El Paso County).

Hymenoxys vaseyi grows in open areas, generally at the edges of forests at elevations of 2100–2800 meters (7000–9300 feet). It is a perennial herb up to 60 cm (2 feet) tall. One plant can produce as many as 50 flower heads in a branching array. Each head has 8-11 yellow ray flowers and 25-80 tiny yellow disc flowers.