Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Lygodesmia juncea
rush skeletonplant
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Known from Spokane County in Washington; southeastern British Columbia to eastern Washington, Idaho and Nevada, east to Great Plains and Great Lakes region.

Habitat: Dry, open places, often in sandy soil, from low to middle elevations.

Flowers: June-September

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, beetles, wasps

Description:
General:

Glabrous perennial with milky juice from a deep-seated, creeping root, the stems branched, grooved, 1.5-6 dm. tall.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, linear, up to 4 cm. long and 3 mm. wide, the upper reduced to awn-shaped scales.

Flowers:

Heads terminating the branches, mostly 5-flowered, the flowers pink or rarely white, all ligulate; involucre 9-16 mm. high, cylindric, usually with 5 principal bracts and several much-reduced outer ones; receptacle naked; pappus of numerous capillary bristles.

Fruits:

Achenes glabrous, sub-terete, several nerved, 6-7 mm. long.

Accepted Name:
Lygodesmia juncea (Pursh) D. Don ex Hook.
Publication: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 295. 1833.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Lygodesmia juncea in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Lygodesmia juncea checklist entry

OregonFlora: Lygodesmia juncea information

E-Flora BC: Lygodesmia juncea atlas page

CalPhotos: Lygodesmia juncea photos

8 photographs:
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