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Key to Leontodon

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1 Heads (solitary-) several; scapes usually scaly-bracted above; pappus of plumose bristles
1 Head solitary; scapes usually naked; pappus type mixed, at least the outer pappus of the outer florets in each head of scales.
  2 Pappus type mixed on each cypsela (with the scales outward and the plumose bristles inward; phyllaries densely and coarsely hispid or hirsute
  2 Pappus type mixed in each head (the outer cypselas with scales, the inner cypselas with plumose bristles); phyllaries glabrate to coarsely hirsute

Key to Asteraceae, Key E: herbaceous composites with leaves alternate or basal,
liguliflorous heads (composed of ligulate florets), and sap usually milky

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1 Cypselae (at least of the inner florets of the head) beaked, the beak usually > ½ the length of the cypselae body.
  2 Heads solitary and terminal at the end of a stem unbranched to its base.
    3 Flower color pink to purple or white
    3 Flower color yellow to yellowish-white.
      4 Leaves basal and cauline, grasslike (untoothed and unlobed); stem leafy
      4 Leaves basal only, variously toothed to pinnately lobed; stem scapiform (leafless).
        5 Pappus of bristles
        5 Pappus either of outer scales and inner bristles or entirely of aristate scales.
          6 Pappus of outer scales and inner plumose bristles; leaves oblanceolate to oblong; plants annual or perennial
          6 Pappus of aristate scales; leaves linear to narrowly lanceolate; plants annual
  2 Heads several per stem, in various corymbiform, umbelliform, spiciform, or paniculiform arrays (rarely solitary and terminal in the smallest and most depauperate individuals in a population.
             7 Achenes distinctly flattened or compressed.
               8 Florets 5 per head
               8 Florets (6-)10-50+ per head
                 9 Plants taprooted annuals or biennials, without rhizomes
                 9 Plants rhizomatous perennials, the rhizomes deeply rooted in the substrate
             7 Achenes terete or prismatic.
                   10 Pappus of plumose bristles, at least the inner series; plant an annual or biennial.
                     11 Receptacles lacking paleae
image of plant
Show caption*© Sonnia Hill
                     11 Receptacles with paleae
                   10 Pappus of simple capillary bristles; plant an annual, biennial, or perennial.
                       12 Beak of the cypsela with a ring of soft white reflexed hairs at the summit (just below the pappus); phyllary apices usually with keel-like flap
                       12 Beak of the cypsela lacking a ring of hairs as described; phyllary apices lacking keel (phyllary bases can be keeled in Crepis)
                          13 Pappus of 80-150 barbellulate bristles; plant an annual or biennial
                          13 Pappus either of 40-50 (or more) smooth bristles or of 20-30 barbellulate bristles; plant a perennial.
                            14 Phyllaries tomentose; pappus of 40-50 (or more) smooth bristles
                            14 Phyllaries lacking pubescence; pappus of 20-30 barbellulate bristles
1 Cypselae beakless, the apex typically rounded or truncate (sometimes tapered but lacking a distinct beak and conspicuously < ½ the length of cypselae body).
                              15 Leaves basally disposed (stem leaves few or none, if present generally smaller in size than the basal leaves, which are persistent into flowering and fruiting); corollas yellow, orange, or red.
                                16 Pappus absent or of both scales and barbellulate bristles.
                                  17 Heads solitary or 2-3; pappus absent, the cypselae never bearing scales or bristles; cypselae with 8-10 ribs (3-5 prominent); [waif, ne. US]
                                  17 Heads solitary; pappus present (occasionally absent in Krigia); cypselae with 10-20 ribs; [widespread natives]
                                    18 Pappus of 40-80 smooth to barbellulate bristles and sometimes a few subulate to setiform scales (but pappus never absent); [Great Plains, midwest US]
                                    18 Pappus absent, of scales, or of 5-45 bristles and 5+ scales; [collectively widespread]
                                16 Pappus of bristles only (these barbellulate, plumose, or rarely smooth).
                                       19 Pappus of barbellulate bristles (sometimes smooth-barbellulate).
                                         20 Leaves with entire margins; plants perennials, from short rhizomes, a short caudex with fibrous roots, or a thick taproot.
                                           21 Leaf margins not undulate, the blades elliptic, oblong, or spatulate
                                           21 Leaf margins white-ciliolate and usually undulate, the blades linear-lanceolate
                                         20 Leaves coarsely toothed or pinnately lobed; plants annuals, from a taproot.
                                             22 Flowers usually pink to lavender; [TX; tribe Mutisieae]
                                             22 Flowers usually yellow to orange; [widespread, including TX; tribe Cichorieae].
                                               23 Involucre 5-12 mm high; achenes usually > 2.5 mm long; pappus bristles distinct, 3-7 mm long
                                               23 Involucre 3-5 mm high; achenes 1.5-2.5 mm long; pappus bristles basally connate (unified basally into a ring-like structure at the junction of achene summit), 2.5-3.5 mm long
                              15 Leaves basal and cauline (plant often beginning with a basal rosette, but by flowering bearing well-developed stem leaves about as large as the basal leaves, the basal rosette often withering prior to flowering and fruiting); corollas yellow, orange, red, blue, pink, white, or lavender.
                                                 24 Pappus absent or of scales.
                                                    25 Corollas pale blue (rarely pink or white)
                                                    25 Corollas yellow (rarely orange).
                                                      26 Phyllaries enfolding the outer cypselae
                                                      26 Phyllaries not enfolding the outer cypselae.
                                                        27 Stem winged and spiny; leaves spiny-margined; receptacle with paleae
                                                        27 Stem not winged or spiny; leaves not spiny-margined; receptacle lacking paleae.
                                                          28 Cypselae 1.2-2.8 mm long; heads borne single at the ends of scapiform stems that are unbranched (rarely few-branched near the base); plants to 7 dm tall
                                                          28 Cypselae 3-5 mm long; heads borne in corymbiform or thyrsiform arrays; plants to 15 dm tall
                                                 24 Pappus of numerous smooth, barbellate, or plumose bristles.
                                                            29 Cypselae more or less strongly flattened.
                                                              30 Pappus of 30-45+ bristles, these at least partly plumose
                                                              30 Pappus of simple capillary bristles only
                                                            29 Cypselae terete or prismatic, slightly or not at all flattened.
                                                                 31 Corollas pink, purple, lavender, white, or creamy-yellow.
                                                                   32 Leaves linear, entire, < 3 mm wide, or reduced to scales; cypselae 11-14 mm long; [of the Coastal Plain of GA and se. AL south to s. FL]
                                                                   32 Leaves broader, of various shapes, usually hastate, irregularly lobed, and/or serrate; cypselae 3.5-10 mm long; [collectively widespread in our area, south to n. FL]
                                                                 31 Corollas bright yellow, orange, or red.
                                                                     33 Leaves finely prickly; pappus of frizzy outer bristles and coarse, straight inner bristles
                                                                     33 Leaves not finely prickly; pappus of barbellulate bristles (sometimes of uneven thickness but not of 2 distinct types)
                                                                       34 Plants taprooted annuals and biennials (rarely perennials); pappus bristles white and soft in texture
                                                                       34 Plants fibrous-rooted perennials; pappus bristles white, light to medium tan, or sordid, stiff.
                                                                         35 Cypselae (2-) 2.5-7 mm long; pappus of (30-) 40-80 white, tan, or sordid bristles, in 1-2+ series; plants cespitose; corollas yellow
                                                                         35 Cypselae 1-2.5 mm long; pappus of 25-40+ white to sordid bristles, in 1 series; plants stoloniferous (cespitose in a few species); corollas yellow or orange