[Mountain Dandelions: The Genus Nothocalais in Mt. Adams Country]

False Agoseris, Weevil Microseris, Weevil Prairie-dandelion

Nothocalais troximoides

Synonyms: Microseris troximoides, Scorzonella troximoides

False Agoseris, Weevil Microseris, Weevil Prairie-dandelion: Nothocalais troximoides (Synonyms: Microseris troximoides, Scorzonella troximoides) - False Agoseris, Weevil Microseris, Weevil Prairie-dandelion: Nothocalais troximoides (Synonyms: Microseris troximoides, Scorzonella troximoides)

The image at left shows false agoseris in bloom on balds at the South Breaks, Klickitat Wildlife Area.......April 21, 2024. The photo at right shows false agoseris as seen at about 4100' on a rocky bald at the crest of the ridge dividing the Dairy Creek and Cougar Creek drainages at the southeastern corner of Mount Adams..........May 29, 2006. Barestem desert parsley (Lomatium nudicaule) and mountain navarretia (Navarretia divaricata) are also visible in the photo.

Basal leaves of False Agoseris, Weevil Microseris, Weevil Prairie-dandelion: Nothocalais troximoides (Synonyms: Microseris troximoides, Scorzonella troximoides)The photo at right shows the basal rosette of narrowly linear leaves of false agoseris. The leaves measure up to 10-30 cm long and are typically less than 1 cm wide. They tend to be 20-50 times as long as wide. Note the entire but sometimes wavy margins and whitish edge, so distinctive of this species. Occasionally, a tooth or two may be found along the margins. Photographed on the ridge dividing the Dairy Creek and Cougar Creek drainages on the southeastern slopes of Mt. Adams...........May 29, 2006.
Characteristics:

False agoseris is a perennial wildflower arising 30 cm in height from a stout taproot. The crowded basal leaves and leafless stems range from nearly glabrous to covered with numerous fine, short hairs that are curly or crinkly. The numerous, attractive leaves are basal. They are narrow (to 1 cm wide) and up to 40 cm long, and linear to linear-lanceolate in shape. The margins are often crisped or wavy, and often with a thin white striping along the edge. The scapes are solitary to several, arising from the center of the basal rosette of leaves. The sap is milky.

The flower heads are dandelion-like with a narrow, bell-shaped involucre. The bracts are a little less than equal in size, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate in shape, with the upper end tapering gradually to a point. The bracts range from 17-20 mm long and typically have a dark midrib, and may have lighter striping on both sides of this midrib. The bracts are usually covered with white, woolly hairs, at least when young. The showy rays are bright yellow and number 13 or more. They open early in the morning and usually close by midday. Disk flowers are not present. The fruiting head is dandelion-like. The achenes measure 7-8 mm long and are spindle-shaped. The white pappus is about equal in length to the achene and bears 20-25 narrow bracts or chaffy scales that taper into the barbellate awn.


Habitat:

False agoseris is found in dry open places in the lowlands and into the foothills. It grows on sandy to rocky soils within its range and is one of the first plants to bloom in the spring in the habitats it is found in.


Range:

Microseris troximoides may be found east of the Cascades from southern British Columbia south through central Washington and Oregon to northern California, and eastward to western Montana and northern Utah.


False Agoseris, Weevil Microseris, Weevil Prairie-dandelion: Nothocalais troximoides (Synonyms: Microseris troximoides, Scorzonella troximoides)

False agoseris as seen in prairie along the wildlife area access road west of Grayback Road, Klickitat Wildlife Area.........April 26, 2016.

Involucral bracts of False Agoseris, Weevil Microseris, Weevil Prairie-dandelion: Nothocalais troximoides (Synonyms: Microseris troximoides, Scorzonella troximoides) - False Agoseris, Weevil Microseris, Weevil Prairie-dandelion: Nothocalais troximoides (Synonyms: Microseris troximoides, Scorzonella troximoides)

The photo at left shows a close-up of the flowerhead of false agoseris as seen at 4100' on the southeastern slopes of Mt. Adams.........May 29, 2006. Note the dark midrib running the length of each of the involucral bracts and the woolly hairs on this dark stripe. The flowerheads of this species typically open early in the morning and close by midday. The photo at right shows false agoseris as seen in oak woodlands along the Haul Road, a logging road which travels up the upper Klickitat River canyon..........May 3, 2008.

False Agoseris, Weevil Microseris, Weevil Prairie-dandelion: Nothocalais troximoides (Synonyms: Microseris troximoides, Scorzonella troximoides) - Flower head of False Agoseris, Weevil Microseris, Weevil Prairie-dandelion: Nothocalais troximoides (Synonyms: Microseris troximoides, Scorzonella troximoides)

False agoseris blooming under Oregon white oaks at the Klickitat Wildlife Area several miles south of Grayback Mountain.......May 7, 2020.

Paul Slichter