Diaperia prolifera
(Big-head Pygmy-cudweed)
Diaperia prolifera, Colorado Bend State Park, San Saba Co. 3790
Diaperia prolifera, Colorado Bend State Park, San Saba Co. 3789
Diaperia prolifera, Colorado Bend State Park, San Saba Co. 3788
| Scientific Name | Diaperia prolifera (Evax prolifera) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | EVPR |
| Common Name | Big-head Pygmy-cudweed, Big-head Rabbit-tobacco | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 512235 |
| Family | Asteraceae (Sunflower) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Dry, clayey or limestone soils in pastures and prairies. Plant: Short, very leafy annual with 2 to 10 diverging stems, 1 to 6 inches tall; all foliage and flower heads densely covered with white to gray woolly hairs. Leaves: Basal rosette leaves are spatulate, 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, withering early; stem leaves alternate, spatulate to narrowly oblanceolate, 1/8 to 3/5-inch long, less than 1/6-inch wide. Inflorescence: Small, dense, flat-headed compact clusters (glomerules) about 1/3-inch across with several to ~10 tiny flower heads less than 1/8-inch across hidden by thick, woolly hairs; bracts among the heads are longer than the heads; each flower head surrounded by small leaves and containing florets; there are no ray florets. Strong magnification required to see details of the individual florets. Bloom Period: April and May. References: Evax prolifera in "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston and "Shinners & Mahler’s Flora of North Central Texas" by Diggs, Lipscomb and O’Kennon; Diaperia prolifera in Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses, Flora of North America and Vascular Plants of Williamson County by A.C. Gibson. |
BONAP Distribution Map Map Color Key |
Texas Status: Native |
Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County
© Tom Lebsack 2024