Packera paupercula is a flowering plant species of the genus Packera and family Asteraceae, native to North America, where it is widespread across Canada and much of the United States.[1] Its common names include balsam ragwort and balsam groundsel.[2] It is a perennial herb that grows 1–3 feet (0.30–0.91 metres) tall.[3] Its habitats include wet meadows, open woodlands, and rocky outcrops.[4]

Packera paupercula

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Packera
Species:
P. paupercula
Binomial name
Packera paupercula
Synonyms[1]
  • Senecio pauperculus Michaux
  • Senecio balsamitae Muhlenberg ex Willdenow
  • Senecio crawfordii Britton
  • Senecio flavovirens Rydberg
  • Senecio gaspensis Greenman
  • Senecio multnomensis Greenman
  • Senecio tweedyi Rydberg

It flowers as early as April in the southern part of its range, and as late as August in the northern part of its range.[1][5]

Taxonomy

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Packera paupercula taxonomically complex, with varying amounts of infraspecific taxa recognized by different authorities. No single classification to date has received wide acceptance.[1][5] The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew currently recognizes the following varieties:[6][7]

  • P. paupercula var. appalachiana - Restricted to the Appalachian Mountains
  • P. paupercula var. paupercula - Widespread from Newfoundland to Alaska, south through the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians
  • P. paupercula var. pseudotomentosa - Native to the Midwest, Upper South, and Ontario
  • P. paupercula var. savannarum - Restricted to the upper Midwest

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Trock, Debra K. (2006). "Packera paupercula". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 20. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2008-05-22 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  2. ^ Packera paupercula. NatureServe. 2012.
  3. ^ "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org. Retrieved 2022-07-17.
  4. ^ "Packera paupercula in Flora of North America @ efloras.org". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 2022-07-17.
  5. ^ a b Weakley, Alan (2015). "Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States".
  6. ^ "Hylodesmum". plantsoftheworldonline.org. Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2019-09-02.
  7. ^ Mahoney, Alison; Kowal, Robert (1 May 2008). "Three New Varieties of Packera paupercula (Asteraceae, Senecioneae) in Midwestern and Southeastern North America". Novon: A Journal for Botanical Nomenclature. 18 (2): 220–228. doi:10.3417/2006016. S2CID 85845219. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
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