About Townsendia florifera (Hook.) A.Gray
Townsendia florifera is an annual, biennial, or perennial herb that grows from a persistent base. Its green basal leaves are shaped spatulate to spatulate-obovate, measuring 2 to 6 centimeters long and 3 to 11 millimeters wide; the cauline, or stem, leaves share a similar shape or are smaller than the basal leaves. Leaves, stems, and floral bracts are covered in short white hairs, ranging from sparsely to moderately densely packed. The showy composite flowers are typically borne singly on each short stem. They have somewhat imbricate (overlapping) green bracts that are narrow, pointed, and have fringed margins. This species produces 10 to 20 ray florets, which are light pink to nearly white and 7 to 12 millimeters long. The numerous disk florets are yellow.
In terms of range and habitat, Townsendia florifera grows in dry open areas across the northwestern to west-central United States. It is most often found growing alongside sagebrush in gravelly or sandy sites. Its documented range covers central Washington and Oregon, southern Idaho, eastern Nevada, and western Utah, Montana, and Wyoming.
