Phagnalon calycinum (Cav.) DC.
Conyza calycina Cav.
Shrub, tomentose-canescent, up to 1 m in height, abundantly branched, with ascending branches. Leaves from narrowly linear or narrowly oblong to lanceolate or spatulate, acute, sessile, entire or dentate, with margins often revolute, green or slightly arachnoid or ashen on the upper side and white-tomentose on the underside. Capitula solitary, 1-2 cm in diameter, with peduncles up to 10 cm long, tomentose-canescent, with peripheral flowers filiform and female, and the rest in disc florets and hermaphrodite. Involucre hemispherical, with several rows of imbricate bracts; outer and middle bracts broadly ovate or orbicular, widened on a scarious and hyaline apical appendage 2-3 mm wide, wider and longer than the rest of the bract, sometimes emarginate; inner bracts linear-lanceolate, scarious. Achenes oblongish, with short and applied hairs; pappus formed by 5-9 scabrid setae.
Flowering:
April to July.
Fruiting:
May to August.
Habitat:
Thickets, grasslands, coastal cliffs, rocky outcrops, from sea level to mid mountain areas.
Distribution:
Endemic to N Morocco, it is found in the western plains, Rif, Middle Atlas (Tazekka) and one locality in the High Atlas (Tizi-n-Test).
Observations:
This is a very polymorphic species from which 4 subspecies are recognised. Subsp. calycinum presents linear narrow leaves (<3 mm wide) with dentate margin and capitula of about 2 cm in diameter. Subsp. ballsianum Maire also presents narrow linear leaves (no more than 3 mm wide) and dentate margin, but capitula c. 1 cm in diameter and pappus formed by only 5 setae. Subsp. caroli-paui (Font Quer) Emb. & Maire differs from the latter by its larger capitula (c. 1.5 cm in diameter) and by a pappus formed by 9 setae. Subsp. spathulatum (H.Lindb.) Maire has the lower and middle leaves lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate or spatulate, usually more than 3 mm wide.
Conservation status:
Rare species and with small distribution area. Currently, it has not been been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.