Chaenactis douglasii (Hook.) Hook. & Arn.
Hoary Pincushion (Douglas' dustymaiden; hoary false yarrow)
Asteraceae (Aster family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Christine Rimmington     (Photo ID #86584)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Chaenactis douglasii
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC

Chaenactis douglasii var. douglasii

Species Information

General:
Biennial or perennial herb from a taproot; stems ascending to erect, sparsely to densely woolly, sometimes glandular in the inflorescence, 10-60 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves 1-3 pinnately cut, 2-12 cm long, stalked, ultimate segments contorted and curled; stem leaves reduced and becoming unstalked upwards.
Flowers:
Heads discoid, usually several in a flat-topped inflorescence, or the lateral branches overtopping the central axis; involucres 7-17 mm tall; involucral bracts narrowly oblanceolate, glandular or glandular-hairy; disk flowers 50-70, white, sometimes pinkish.
Fruits:
Achenes 6-8 mm long, densely stiff-hairy; pappus of 10-16 unequal scales.
Notes:
A second Chaenactis (C. douglasii var. alpina Gray [C. alpina]) has previously been recognized as occurring in BC (Douglas et al. 1989). During 1995 the site of the only collection of the this taxon in BC was revisited and all plants in the population were identified as C. douglasii var. douglasii. The original collection was of an atypical plant, without stem leaves.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

USDA Species Characteristics

Flower Colour:
White
Blooming Period:
Early Summer
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall
Source:  The USDA

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Chaenactis douglasii

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
661 321 1584
Slope Gradient (%)
28 0 65

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

181 10 345
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
1 0 4
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
B
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
49
Modal BEC Zone Class
BG

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

BG(21), ESSF(1), IDF(12), MS(1), PP(14)

Habitat and Range

Dry sandy or rocky slopes, grasslands, shrublands, scree and talus slopes in the steppe to alpine zones; common in S BC east of the Coast-Cascade Mountains; E to MO and S to AZ, NV and CA.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia