Kingdom Plantae Tribe Cichorieae Genus Stephanomeria Higher classification Daisy family | Order Asterales Subtribe Microseridinae Scientific name Stephanomeria exigua Rank Species | |
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Similar Stephanomeria, Daisy family, Stephanomeria malheurensis, Stephanomeria virgata, Stephanomeria diegensis | ||
Stephanomeria exigua, the small wirelettuce, is a perennial or biennial plant native to the western United States. It is thought to be the parent species of Stephanomeria malheurensis (Malheur wirelettuce), an endangered plant species found only in southern Oregon. It generally blooms from mid-spring to late summer and produces small, light pink or light purple blooms.
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Distribution and Range
Stephanomeria exigua is native to the arid regions of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as New York.
Related Taxa
There are 17 related species of Stephanomeria according to the US Department of Agriculture, including S. runcinata, S. cichoriacea, and S. elata. There are also 5 sub-species of S. exigua, S. exigua carotifera, S. exigua coronaria, S. exigua deanei, S. exigua exigua, and S. exigua macrocarpa All are native to the western United States and parts of western Canada, except one that is found in New York state.