[Goldenweeds: The Genus Stenotus Found East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Cushion Goldenweed, Stemless Goldenweed, Stemless Mock Goldenweed

Stenotus acaulis

Synonyms: Haplopappus acaulis, Haplopappus acaulis ssp. typicus, Haplopappus acaulis var. glabratus, Stenotus acaulis var. acaulis, Stenotus acaulis var. glabratus

Stemless goldenweed as seen on gravelly soils on rimrock above Page Springs Campground (BLM), the Steen's Mt, southeastern Oregon.........June 2, 2012.

Cushion Goldenweed, Stemless Goldenweed, Stemless Mock Goldenweed: Stenotus acaulis (Synonym: Haplopappus acaulis, Haplopappus acaulis ssp. typicus, Haplopappus acaulis var. glabratus, Stenotus acaulis var. acaulis, Stenotus acaulis var. glabratus)

The photo at right shows stemless goldenweed as seen above Fish Lake, the Steens Mt, southeastern Oregon..........June 24, 2000.

Characteristics:

Also known as short-stemmed goldenweed, stemless goldenweed is a perennial subshrub to 15 cm high. It tends to form a loose mat of leaves and flowers with the leaves clustered on short erect stems. The leaves are oblanceolate to spatulate, erect and entire and persist for up to three years. The blades are 3-nerved with acute tips. They range from 1.5-4 cm long and are less than 2 mm wide. The herbage of the leaves and stem is rough and glandular.

The numerous flowering stems are topped by single flower heads. The involucres are roughly triangular in outline and range from 7-10 mm tall with bracts of three lengths. The 16-20 bracts are green, oblong in shape with acute tips, and 3-nerved. There are 6-15 light yellow ray flowers and about as many disk flowers. Individual rays measure from 8-12 mm long.

Habitat:

Stemless goldenweed may be found on dry, open, rocky outcrops in the plains, foothills and lowlands up to high elevations in the mountains.

Range:

Stemless goldenweed is found east of the Cascade Mountains from the Rocky Mts. of Saskatchewan south to Colorado, and then west through southwestern Mondana, central Idaho, eastern Oregon, and into California. In Oregon, it is seen in the Wallowa Mts, the Steens Mt., and in the Warner Mts.

Stemless goldenweed as seen along FS Road #38-200 about one and one-half miles southeast of Spanish Peak, Ochoco National Forest..........June 14, 2015.

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Stemless goldenweed in bloom aong the Fremont National Recreation Trail #160 at about 7400' on the southeastern shoulder of Crook Peak, Fremont-Winema National Forest.......June 28, 2019.

Stemless goldenweed in a senescent or mid-summer dormant state and going to seed as observed along the Fremont National Recreation Trail at a saddle between McDowell and Twelvemile Peaks, Fremont-Winema National Forest......August 2, 2020.

The photo above shows a close-up view of the flowerhead of stemless goldenweed as seen at the Rooster Comb, the Steen's Mt, southeastern Oregon........June 20, 2004.

Stemless goldenweed as seen at the Rooster Comb, the Steen's Mt, southeastern Oregon..........June 20, 2004.

The photo above shows a large mass of stemless goldenweed as seen at the Rooster Comb, the Steen's Mt, southeastern Oregon........June 20, 2004. The photo at right shows what appears to be stemless goldenweed as seen on low mesas at the southeast corner of Hart Mt. National Antelope Refuge.........June 10, 2016.

Paul Slichter