Hieracium triste, commonly known as woolly hawkweed, is a species of flowering plant. It is native to North America where it is widespread across western Canada and the western United States from Alaska, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories south as far as California and New Mexico.Biota of North America Program 2014 state-level distribution map
Description Hieracium triste is a perennial herb. It produces a milky latex that often is described erroneously as sap. It is tall and is unbranched. The stem has long hairs and some hairs that look like stars. The entire plant rarely grows more than tall.Rice, P., & Halpop, J. (2009). Hawkweed identification. Montana State University ExtensionKershaw, L., MacKinnon, A., & Pojar, J. (1998). Plants of the rocky mountains. Auburn, WA: Lone Pine.Flora of North America, Hieracium triste Willdenow ex Sprengel, 1826.
Leaves Hieracium triste has basal leaves that are often in a rosette. The leaves look similar to a spoon and are long and wide. Most leaves are either hairless or have short hairs.
Flowers Each plant usually only contains one to two flowers. They are yellow and often look like dandelions. They have bracts around each flower that have grey star shaped hairs and long black gland tipped hairs. These flowers bloom from June to August.
Habitat Slender hawkweed grows in moist to wet open sites. It grows in mid-montane to alpine areas. It is most commonly seen below the timberline in areas with whitebark pine and alpine larch. It likes dry sites at lower elevations from Southern Colorado to Wyoming.
References
External links
United States Department of Agriculture Plants Profile, Hieracium triste