Dissected Rockdaisy

Perityle dissecta occurs in southern Brewster and Presidio counties. It and P. lemmonii have been considered conspecific by some taxonomists because of similarities in gross leaf morphology. The differences in phyllaries, disc corollas, and pappus bristles, as well as distinct distributions, support recognizing them as separate species.

Perennials or subshrubs, 7–20 cm (densely leafy); pilose. Leaves: petioles (3–)4–10 mm; blades lanceolate to deltate, 4–15 × 4–15 mm, usually 1–3-pinnately divided, lobes irregular, rounded, ultimate margins laciniate. Heads borne singly or in corymbiform arrays, 8–10 × 4–5 mm. Peduncles 2–8(–17) mm. Involucres campanulate. Phyllaries 12–15, linear to linear-lanceolate, (5–)7–13 × 0.5–0.9 mm (apices usually attenuate, sometimes acute). Ray florets 0. Disc florets 20–30; corollas yellow, tubes 1–1.5 mm, throats usually narrowly tubular, (2–)2.5–2.8 mm, lobes 0.7–1 mm. Cypselae oblong to narrowly oblanceolate, (2.8–)3–3.8 mm, margins moderately calloused, short-hairy; pappi 0, or of 1(–4) moderately stout bristles (1–)2.2–3 mm. 2n = 34, 68.

Laphamia dissecta Torrey, Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 5(6): 81. 1853

Leptopharynx dissecta (Torr.) Rydberg
Laphamia dissecta Torr.; A. Gray, PI. Wright. 2: 81. 1853.
Perityle dissecta A. Gray, Syn. Fl. N. Am. l^: 320. 1884.
Laphamia Lemmoni pedata A. Gray, Proc. Am. Acad. 16: 101. 1880.
A low perennial with woody caudex; stem 1-2 dm. high, branched, villous and glandularpuberulent; leaves mostly alternate, suborbicular or cordate, twice pedately dissected into oblong-linear or oblong lobes, villous; heads short-peduncled at the ends of the branches; involucre campanulate, 5-6 mm. high, 4-5 mm. broad; bracts linear, boat-shaped, villous; rays none; disk-flowers about 20; corollas 3 mm. long; tube much shorter than the trumpet-shaped throat; achenes oblong, pubescent, with a callous border at the apex; awn solitary or often wanting.
Type locality: Presidio del Norte. Distribution: Western Texas to Arizona.