Howell’s microseris – State Wildlife Action Plan

Howell’s microseris

Photo Credit: Oregon Department of Agriculture

Howell’s microseris is a taprooted perennial 10-50 cm tall, usually with a single, slender, erect stem branched proximally and often distally. Leaves are chiefly basal; linear to narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate; 10-30 cm long; the margins entire, dentate, or pinnately lobed, the lobes slender and often curved downward or backward. Involucres are narrowly ovoid in fruit and 8-17 mm high, the involucral bracts acuminate with erect apices, sometimes purple-spotted, the abaxial faces glabrous or scurfy-puberulent, the outer bracts lanceolate to deltate, the inner bracts lanceolate. Flower heads are nodding before anthesis and bear 8-30 yellow ray flowers, the corollas exceeding the involucral bracts by 5 mm or more. Achenes are brown, 3.5-7 mm long, and narrowed at the base. Pappi of 5-10 white, lanceolate, glabrous, awned scales 3-6 mm long, awns minutely barbed.

Overview

  • Species Common Name Howell's microseris
  • Species Scientific Name Microseris howellii
  • State Listing Status Threatened

Ecoregions

Special needs

Howell’s microseris occurs on slopes or flat ground with varying exposures. This species is found in rocky serpentine soils at approximately 980-3280 feet.

Limiting factors

Prospecting and nickel strip mining are serious threats to Howell’s microseris. Grazing and excavation at gravel quarries are among other conservation concerns. The species is restricted to a small range.

Conservation actions

Minimize impacts from mining.