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Key to Krigia

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1 Phyllaries erect in fruit, 2-4× as long as wide; pappus absent (or represented by minute scales or bristles < 2 mm long); plant a leafy-stemmed winter annual.
  2 Phyllary midveins evident but not forming curved keels; cypselas fusiform, ca. 2× as long as broad; [collectively widespread in our region].
    3 Involucres 2-4.5 mm long in flower, 3.5-5.0 mm long in fruit; flower ligules 2-6 mm long
    3 Involucres 4.5-7.0 mm long in flower, 5.5-8.5 mm long in fruit; flower ligules 6.5-11 mm long
  2 Phyllary midveins becoming prominent and curving inward at bases to form keels; cypselas obovoid or obconic, ca. 1.5× as long as broad; [native west of the Mississippi River, rarely as a waif eastwards].
      4 Peduncles from rosettes; pappus of 5 scales and 5 bristles
      4 Peduncles from branching, leafy stems; pappus absent, or of minute scales
1 Phyllaries reflexed in fruit, 3-8× as long as broad; pappus present, consisting of 5 or more scales and 5 or more bristles (the bristles > 4 mm long); plant a scapose, subscapose, or leafy-stemmed perennial or a scapose or subscapose winter annual.
        5 Pappus of 5 scales and 5 bristles; plant a winter annual; stem leafless or leafy at the base only
        5 Pappus of 15-40 scales and 15-40 bristles; plant a perennial; stem leafless, leafy at the base only, or with many leaves extending up the stem.
          6 Stems leafless, the peduncles terminal; perennial from ovoid tubers, with long slender stolons which form new plants or tubers; pappus bristles (5.0-) 5.3-7.7 (-10.0) mm long
          6 Stems leafy, at least at the base, the peduncles axillary; perennials from stout creeping rhizomes or short caudices, not bearing tubers; pappus bristles 4.0-7.0 mm long.
             7 Peduncles usually 1 per leaf axil; leaves linear-lanceolate, the larger 1-12 mm wide; perennial from an underground rhizome (to 5 mm in diameter), larger plants with an extensive rootmat and multiple stems
             7 Peduncles usually 2 per leaf axil; leaves oblanceolate, the larger 15-45 mm wide; solitary-stemmed perennial from a short caudex