Lygodesmia juncea

      
Skeletonweed

Leaf and White Milky Sap

Antelope Lake Regional Park
13-Aug-2004

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Juncea:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species.  
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perennials from deep tough rootstocks; NOT annuals from a tough taproot

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leaves small, seldom over 5 cm long, usually scale-like; leaves NOT 5-20 cm long, leaves NOT [long and very narrow]

 
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Lygodesmia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
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plants of dry habitats

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juice milky; NOT watery

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stem diffusely branched

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leaves few, cauline, mostly linear or reduced to scales (FOA)

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none of the florets tubular, flowers all ligulate

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flowers all perfect

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flowers pink; NOT yellow, NOT white, NOT purplish

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stamens united to form a tube around the pistil

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pappus hairy; NOT merely covered with scales

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pappus simple, consisting of bristles only; NOT [pappus double, the outer ring consisting of 5 small scale-like appendages, the inner ring bristles]

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pappus bristles simple; NOT plumose

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Note: The key to the genera in Budd's Flora requires the following somewhat contradictory answers:
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plants with normal stem leaves; NOT [plants with leaves all basal or with a few reduced leaves on the stem]

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leaves narrowly linear or scale-like; NOT broader, NOT leaf-like