Texas
Wildbuds

Diaperia verna

(Spring Pygmy-cudweed)

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Diaperia verna, Cedar Chopper Trail, Colorado Bend State Park, San Saba Co. 9365

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Diaperia verna, Cedar Chopper Trail, Colorado Bend State Park, San Saba Co. 9400

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Diaperia verna, Cedar Chopper Trail, Colorado Bend State Park, San Saba Co. 9383

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Diaperia verna, Cedar Chopper Trail, Colorado Bend State Park, San Saba Co. 9394

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Diaperia verna, Choke Canyon State Park, McMullen Co. 8533

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Diaperia verna, Choke Canyon State Park, McMullen Co. 8525

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Diaperia verna, Choke Canyon State Park, McMullen Co. 8525

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Diaperia verna, Choke Canyon State Park, McMullen Co. 8528

Scientific Name Diaperia verna (Evax verna) USDA PLANTS Symbol EVVE
Common Name Spring Pygmy-cudweed, Spring Rabbit-tobacco ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. 780286
Family Asteraceae (Sunflower) SEINet
Reference
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Description Habitat: Various soil types on slopes, plains, open or wooded areas.
Plant: Short annual with 2 to 10 diverging branches, 1 to 5 inches tall; all foliage and flower heads covered with long, soft woolly hairs.
Leaves: Greyish-green basal and stem leaves alternate, sessile, oblong to oblanceolate, 1/4 to 2/3-inch long; much small leaves below and within the inflorescence and around the tiny flower heads.
Inflorescence: Small, dense, 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; each flower head surrounded by small leaves and containing florets arranged around the perimeter (these are pistillate florets) and a few in the center (these are staminate); there are no ray florets. Strong magnifcation required to see details of the individual florets.
Bloom Period: April to June.
References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, "Shinners & Mahler’s Flora of North Central Texas" by Diggs, Lipscomb and O’Kennon 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