Stemless Four Nerve Daisy

Perennials, 2–30+ cm. Caudices ± branched, branches notably thickened distally. Stems 1–35(–60), erect, unbranched. Leaves all basal, new leaves tightly clustered; blades spatulate or oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, entire, glabrous or ± hairy, often lanuginose, sericeous, or strigoso-canescent, eglandular or ± gland-dotted. Heads 1–35(–60) per plant, borne singly. Peduncles 0.5–30 cm, ± hairy. Involucres 7–12 × 8–16 mm. Outer phyllaries 6–12, 3.9–9(–11.5) mm, margins 0–0.4 mm wide, sometimes slightly scarious, abaxial faces ± hairy. Ray florets 8–15(–21); corollas 9–19 mm. Disc florets 25–200+; corollas yellow, 2.7–4.3 mm. Cypselae 2–4 mm; pappi of 5–8 obovate to oblanceolate, aristate scales 2.2–3.7 mm.

Gaillardia acaulis Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 743. 1813 (as Galardia); Hymenoxys acaulis (Pursh) K. F. Parker