silverpuffs

genus Microseris

Member of lettuce, chicory, dandelion, and salsify tribe (tribe Cichorieae)
silverpuffs and blow wives in seed
sunflower family (family Asteraceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

There are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.

See also silverpuffs (Uropappus lindleyi).

Key features:

length of all features
number of scales per seed
seed color (and sometimes shape)
scale color and tip shape (and sometimes fuzziness)
bristle fuzziness

≤ 5 scales; simple stem

Ordered roughly by scale length (long to short).

sierra foothills microseris
Microseris acuminata

sierra foothills microseris
Microseris acuminata

seeds 4.5–7 mm, flared at tip
5 scales, each 3.5–11 mm, barely inrolled, midrib width > 1/5 scale width
bristles 4–7 mm.
rare in the East Bay
supposedly not present on the peninsula, but found in the upper part of Foothills Park

douglas’ silverpuffs
Microseris douglasii

douglas’ silverpuffs
Microseris douglasii

seeds 3–10 mm
≤ 5 scales, each tiny–6.5 mm; if ≥ 1 mm, becoming curved throughout and strongly inrolled
scale midrib evenly tapered from thick base
bristles 3–8.5 mm.
found everywhere east of Skyline Blvd

san joaquin silverpuffs
Microseris campestris

san joaquin silverpuffs
Microseris campestris

seeds 3–5+ mm, widest at tip
5 scales, each 1–4.5 mm, becoming ± curved throughout, barely inrolled, barely or not pigmented
scale midrib evenly tapered from thick base
bristles 3–5.5 mm
rare near Redwood Park and Mt. Diablo

coastal silverpuffs
Microseris bigelovii

coastal silverpuffs
Microseris bigelovii

seeds 2.5–5.5mm, widest near middle and tapering to base
outermost seeds are generally very hairy, while inner seeds are glabrous
5 scales, each 1–4 mm, curved only at base
scale midrib linear, thicker at base
bristles 3–8 mm
found near the coast and at Edgewood

elegant silverpuffs
Microseris elegans

elegant silverpuffs
Microseris elegans

seeds 1.5–3 mm, widest at the tip, tapering (slightly) to the base
outermost seeds are sometimes hairy, while inner seeds are glabrous
5 scales, each 0.2–2.5 mm
bristles 3–5 mm
found at Coe and Mt. Diablo

5–10 scales; stem may be branched and/or have leaves

Ordered roughly by scale length (long to short).

sylvan microseris
Microseris sylvatica

sylvan microseris
Microseris sylvatica

seeds 5–12 mm
5–10 scales, each 4–10 mm
bristles 6–9 mm
found near the coast and on Mt. Tamalpais

marsh microseris
Microseris paludosa

marsh microseris
Microseris paludosa

seeds 4–7 mm
5–10 scales, each 2–4 mm
bristles 6–9 mm
found at Mt. Diablo

3 observed taxons / 4 unobserved taxons / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 9 (3 are research grade)

Locations:

Coyote Lake / Harvey Bear Ranch CP: 3
Santa Teresa CP: 2
Calero CP
Edgewood Park & Natural Preserve
Máyyan 'Ooyákma Coyote Ridge OSP
Pacheco SP

Months:

Mar.: 1
Apr.: 4
May: 4

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Taxon info: iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora – FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora