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Showy Townsend-daisy - Townsendia florifer
Other Names:
Townsendia florifera
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
Townsendia florifer is extremely rare in Montana. The species is known from two 1985 specimens documented in Beaverhead County. A third observation, which appears to be correct was photographed in 2025 in Park County. The state population appears to be very small based on limited information. Other specimens have been mis-identified. Its rarity puts it at higher risk for extirpation in the state.
Surveys are needed to revist the 1985 and 2025 locations. A determination of presence/absence in Beaverhead County is needed. At all localities, current information on population counts, habitat type and condition, and potential threats is greatly needed to accurately assess the species status in Montana. Additional surveys in other areas of suitable habitat are also needed to determine an accurate state distribution.
General Description
Showy Townsendia is an annual to short-lived perennial herb with 1 to several ascending stems that are 5-15 cm high and arising from a simple taproot. Leaves are spoon-shaped, 2-6 cm long at the base, and reduced upward. Foliage is sparsely to densely covered with short, appressed hairs. 1 to a few stalked flower heads are borne at the tips of the stems. Each head has 3-4 series of narrow, overlapping, green or purple involucral bracts that are 7-10 mm long, 13-34 pink ray flowers that are 7-12 mm long, and yellow disk corollas that are 3-6 mm long. The hairy achenes are topped by straight, stiff bristles that are 1-6 mm long in ray flowers and 3-8 mm long in disk flowers.
Phenology
Flowering in June.
Diagnostic Characteristics
Most of our species of Townsendia are low, nearly stemless plants. The only other species with stems greater than 5 cm long is T. parryi, which has blue to lavendar rays and involucral bracts that are 9-16 mm long.
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
WA to MT to NV, UT and WY. Known from Beaverhead County (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 3
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Open soil on flats and eroding slopes of grassland and sagebrush steppe in the foothill zone.
National Vegetation Classification System Groups Associated with this Species
Shrubland
Sagebrush Shrubland
Grassland
Lowland - Prairie Grassland
Stewardship Responsibility
Threats or Limiting Factors
STATE THREAT SCORE REASON
Threat impact not assigned because threats are not known (MTNHP Threat Assessment 2021).
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
MTNHP Threat Assessment. 2021. State Threat Score Assignment and Assessment of Reported Threats from 2006 to 2021 for State-listed Vascular Plants. Botany Program, Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, Montana.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Beaman, J.H. 1957. The Systematics and Evolution of Townsendia (Compositae). Contributions From the Gray Herbarium CLXXXIII: 1-151.
- Lesica, P. and J. Vanderhorst. 1995. Sensitive plant survey of the Sage Creek area, Beaverhead County, Montana, Dillon Resource Area, Bureau of Land Management. Unpublished report to the Bureau of Land Management. Montana Natural Heritage Program. 36 pp. plus appendices.
- Lesica, P., K. Lackschewitz, J. Pierce, S. Gregory and M. O'Brien. 1986. Noteworthy collections: Montana. Madrono 33:310-312.
- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
- Quire, R.L. 2013. The sagebrush steppe of Montana and southeastern Idaho shows evidence of high native plant diversity, stability, and resistance to the detrimental effects of nonnative plant species. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 124 p.
- Vanderhorst, J., B.L. Heidel, J. Pierce, and S.V. Cooper. 1997. Botanical survey of the Ruby Range, Madison County, Montana. Unpublished report to the Bureau of Land Management Dillon Resource Area. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT. 47. pp. plus appendices.
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