Packera ganderi

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Speciesbox |image = Gander's ragwort imported from iNaturalist photo 188800192 on 21 August 2024.jpg |status = G2 |status_system = TNC |taxon = Packera ganderi |authority = (T.M.Barkley & R.M.Beauch.) W.A.Weber & A.Löve |synonyms = ''Senecio ganderi'' |}}

'''''Packera ganderi''''' is a rare species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name '''Gander's ragwort'''. It is endemic to southern California, where it is known from a few occurrences in San Diego and Riverside Counties.

There are an estimated 4,000 plants in existence, but this number varies year to year because the plant becomes more abundant after its habitat burns in wildfires.<ref>[http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Packera+ganderi The Nature Conservancy]</ref>

It is a native of the fire-prone California chaparral plant community, where it grows in gabbro rock outcrops.

==Description== ''Packera ganderi'' is a perennial herb producing a single upright stem which grows to a maximum height of 50 to 80 centimeters. It is mostly hairy and green, but may have some fuzzy areas and a purple tinge. The leaves have rounded or oval blades with toothed edges or shallow lobes. The blades are often thick and somewhat tough, measuring a few centimeters long and borne on petioles longer than themselves. Leaves occurring higher up the stem are smaller and most lack petioles.

The inflorescence contains up to 6 or 8 flower heads, each lined with green-tipped, yellow-edged phyllaries. The head contains many golden yellow disc florets and several orange ray florets each about a centimeter long.

==References== {{Reflist}} *[http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=77386 Jepson eFlora: ''Packera ganderi'']

===Further reading=== *Barkley, T. M. and R. M. Beauchamp. (1974). A new ''Senecio'' (Compositae) from California. ''Brittonia'' 26:2 106–8.

==External links== *[http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,1784,1807 Jepson Manual Treatment] *[http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Packera+ganderi CalFlora Database: ''Packera ganderi'' (Gander's ragwort)] *[https://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PAGA5 USDA Plants Profile] *[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250067248 Flora of North America] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120326192055/http://northcoastcnps.org/cgi-bin/inv/inventory.cgi/Go?_id=packera_ganderi&sort=DEFAULT California Native Plant Society Rare Plant Profile] *[http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Packera+ganderi Photo gallery]

ganderi Category:Endemic flora of California Category:Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Category:Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges Category:Flora of Riverside County, California Category:Natural history of San Diego County, California Category:Plants described in 1974