Perennials, 30-60+ cm; taprooted (caudices relatively thick, weakly ascending or erect), sometimes stoloniferous. Stems 1, densely lanate-tomentose proximally, floccose-tomentose to glabrescent distally. Basal leaves (and proximal cauline) petiolate; blades lanceolate to narrowly ovate or elliptic, 40-120+ × 20-50+ mm, bases tapering, sometimes oblique, margins subentire, crenate, or serrate-dentate. Cauline leaves gradually reduced (± petiolate or sessile, weakly clasping; dentate to pinnately lobed). Heads 10-30+ in open, corymbiform arrays (more in robust individuals). Peduncles bracteate, sparsely to densely tomentose. Calyculi inconspicuous. Phyllaries 13 or 21, light green, 5-8 mm, usually glabrous (sometimes hairy proximally). Ray florets 10 or 13; corolla laminae 6-8+ mm. Disc florets 50-60+; corolla tubes 3.5-4 mm, limbs 3-3.5 mm. Cypselae 1-1.5 mm, hispid; pappi 5-7 mm. 2n = 46.

Flowering (Mar-)May-early Jun. Open meadows, roadways, sandy or shallow soils overlying granitic outcrops; 0-500 m; Ala., Ark., Del., Fla., Ga., La., Md., N.J., N.C., Okla., S.C., Tex., Va.

Packera tomentosa is common throughout most of its range. The basal and proximal cauline leaves are held at about 45 degrees to the stems.

Perennial 2-7 dm from a short caudex, sometimes also stoloniferous, persistently floccose-tomentose until flowering time or later, generally very densely so at the base, the upper lf-surfaces sometimes soon glabrate; basal lf-blades chiefly lance-ovate to elliptic or ovate and abruptly contracted to the petiole, to 20 נ5 cm, crenate or subentire; cauline lvs conspicuously reduced upwards, becoming sessile, entire or crenate, scarcely pinnatifid; heads several or rather many, the disk 7-12 mm wide; invol 4-6 mm; achenes hispidulous; 2n=46. Dry open places and pine woods, especially in sandy soil; s. N.J. to Fla. and Tex., chiefly on or near the coastal plain. Apr.-June.

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

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