Stems (20-)30-60 cm. Leaves: basal axils ± densely tomentose, terminal lobes 3-15 mm; cauline 0-3. Heads 3-8. Peduncles 2-12 cm. Phyllaries 6-10 mm. Florets 20-70+; corollas yellowish or whitish, 4-6 mm, throats 2-3 mm, lengths (2.2-)3-8 times lobes; anthers 3-3.5 mm. Cypselae 5-6 mm, hairs 1-2 mm; pappi 1.2-2.5 mm. 2n = 34, 68.
Flowering May-Sep. Sands, clays, rocks (limestones, schists, volcanics); 1500-2700 m; Ariz., Calif., Nev., N.Mex., Utah; Mexico (Baja California).
Duration: Perennial
Nativity: Native
Lifeform: Subshrub
General: Herbaceous perennials to low subshrubs, to 60 cm tall, stems erect, herbage densely tomentose and silvery-green, the stems arising from several caudices.
Leaves: Alternate, twice pinnately dissected, lobes linear, 3-15 mm long, threadlike, the axils of the basal leaves densely tomentose, the cauline leaves 0-3.
Flowers: Heads discoid, disk flowers yellow, 1-many, corollas campanulate, phyllaries 6-10 mm long, 2-5 mm wide, the margins white or yellowish, scarious, the tips acute to obtuse, heads 3-8, borne at the stem tips.
Fruits: Achenes 4 angled, 5-6 mm long, desnely short-hairy, Pappus scales 12-22, generally linear-oblong.
Ecology: Found on sands, clays, rocks schists, volcanic, and limestone substrates from 5,000-9,000 ft (1524-2743 m).
Distribution: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah; Mexico.
Notes: The keys to this variety are the axils of the basal leaves densely tomentose; the cauline leaves 0-3, with the terminal lobes of basal the leaves 3-15 mm, the phyllaries somewhat smaller than the parent species at 6-10 mm, and the heads few at 3-8.
Ethnobotany: A compound of the plant was used as a ceremonial emetic, a decoction of the plant was taken for blood poisoning, a poultice of the plant was applied to sores and infections, and the roots were chewed for decaying teeth.
Etymology: Hymenopappus comes from Greek hymen for membrane and pappos for pappus, for the chafflike scales, while filifolius means thread like leaves, and lugens comes from the word lugere, to mourn.
Synonyms: Hymenopappus lugens
Editor: LCrumbacher 2011
