Microseris is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, plants that often called composites. They are native to North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand.
Plants in the genus can either be annuals or perennials. Perennial plants in Microseris usually have a taproot or a caudex with the exception of Microseris borealis, which is rhizomatous. The leaves are mostly or entirely basal, growing very near the surface of the soil rather than being held on stems above ground level. When blooming the flowers are alone on the top of stems and are held upright when blooming and when producing seeds. The flowers are shades of orange or yellow with a superficial resemblance to dandelions.
There is currently disagreement about which species should be placed in Microseris. Plants of the World Online (POWO) synonymizes genus Nothocalais into Microseris. While the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS database (PLANTS), World Flora Online (WFO), the Global Compositae Database (GCD), and Flora of North America (FNA) continue to list Nothocalais as a separate genus as of 2023.
The only species classified by WFO in Nothocalais is Microseris nigrescens as Nothocalais nigrescens, which is also the classification in PLANTS and FNA. The other species classified by PLANTS and FNA as Nothocalais are Microseris alpestris (N. alpestris), Microseris cuspidata (N. cuspidata), and Microseris troximoides (N. troximoides).
According to POWO Microseris contains the following 22 species: +Scientific nameAuthorityCommon nameNative RangeMicroseris acuminataGreeneSierra foothill silverpuffsCalifornia, OregonMicroseris alpestris (A.Gray) Q.Jones ex Cronquistalpine lake false dandelionCalifornia, Oregon, WashingtonMicroseris bigelovii(A.Gray) Sch.Bip.coastal silverpuffsBritish Columbia, California, Oregon, WashingtonMicroseris borealis(Bong.) Sch.Bip.northern microserisAlaska, British Columbia, California, Oregon, WashingtonMicroseris campestrisGreeneSan Joaquin silverpuffsCaliforniaMicroseris cuspidata(Pursh) Sch.Bip.prairie false dandelionAlberta, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Manitoba, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, WyomingMicroseris decipiensK.L.ChambersSanta Cruz silverpuffsCaliforniaMicroseris douglasii(DC.) Sch.Bip.Douglas' silverpuffsCalifornia, Mexico Northwest, OregonMicroseris elegansGreene ex A.Grayelegant silverpuffsCalifornia, Mexico Northwest Microseris heterocarpa(Nutt.) K.L.Chambersgrassland silverpuffsArizona, California, Mexico Northwest Microseris howelliiA.GrayHowell's silverpuffsOregonMicroseris laciniata(Hook.) Sch.Bip.cutleaf silverpuffsCalifornia, Oregon, WashingtonMicroseris lanceolata(Walp.) Sch.Bip.murnongNew South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western AustraliaMicroseris lindleyi(DC.) A.GrayLindley's silverpuffsArizona, British Columbia, California, Idaho, Mexico Northwest, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington Microseris nigrescensL.F.Hend.speckled false dandelionIdaho, Montana, WyomingMicroseris nutans(Hook.) Sch.Bip.nodding microserisAlberta, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, WyomingMicroseris paludosa(Greene) J.T.Howellmarsh silverpuffsCaliforniaMicroseris pygmaeaD.DonChile Central, Chile North, PeruMicroseris scapigeraSch.Bip.plains yam daisyNew Zealand South, Tasmania, VictoriaMicroseris sylvaticaSch.Bip.sylvan scorzonellaCaliforniaMicroseris troximoidesA.Graysagebrush false dandelionBritish Columbia, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, WyomingMicroseris walteriGand.murnong or yam daisyNew South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
References
External links
Jepson Manual Treatment: Microseris