11. Ericameria discoidea (Nuttall) G. L. Nesom, Phytologia. 68: 153. 1990.
Whitestem goldenbush, sharp-scale goldenweed
Macronema discoidea Nuttall, Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 322. 1840; Haplopappus macronema A. Gray
Plants 10–40 cm. Stems erect to spreading, abundantly branched, twigs green when young, concealed by whitish, pannose tomentum, sporadically stipitate-glandular. Leaves ascending to spreading; blades linear or oblong to oblanceolate (flat), 10–35 × 2–7 mm, midnerves evident (1–2 fainter, collateral nerves often present), (margins often undulate) apices acute to obtuse, usually apiculate, faces usually stipitate-glandular, resinous; axillary fascicles absent. Heads borne singly or in cymiform to racemiform arrays. Peduncles 3–15 mm (bracts 0–3, reduced, leaflike, whitish tomentose and usually stipitate-glandular). Involucres obconic, 9–13 × 6–10 mm. Phyllaries 12–17 in 2–3 series, green to tan, lanceolate to oblong, 6–10 × 1–2 mm, subequal, outer herbaceous or distally so, inner mostly chartaceous, midnerves evident, (margins of outer often distally stipitate-glandular, of inner narrowly membranous, sometimes minutely ciliolate) apices acute to attenuate, abaxial faces stipitate-glandular. Ray florets 0. Disc florets 10–26; corollas 9–11 mm. Cypselae brownish, narrowly oblong to narrowly ovoid, 5–6 mm, villous; pappi tan, 8.5–11 mm. 2n = 18.
Flowering late summer–fall. Rocky, open or sparsely wooded slopes, often in coarse talus; 2500–3800 m; Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah.
Ericameria discoidea is common in the Rocky Mountains.