沙生蜡菊 sha sheng la ju

Gnaphalium arenarium Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 854. 1753.

Herbs, perennial. Rhizome woody, more often thick, 5-7(-15) mm in diam., or much thinner, only 1-4 mm in diam. Flowering stems few or many, erect or ascending, unbranched, 10-60 cm tall, at very base sometimes with decayed leaves; entire plant tomentose-lanate, usually forming ± dense clusters. Leaves at apex with a small brownish cusp, gradually diminishing upward; upper and middle ones sessile, lanceolate-linear, oblong-obovate, or oblong-elliptic, gradually narrowed toward base. Capitula (5-)10-30(-100) arranged in compact or slightly branching loose corymb, subspherical or widely obovate, (3-)4-6(-9) mm in diam., on peduncles of indefinite length; in young state corymbs capitate, usually surrounded by a few terminal leaves. Phyllaries ca. 50, slightly loosely arranged in (3 or)4-6(or 7) rows, often with declined tip at end of anthesis, bright lemon-yellow, more pallid yellow, pinkish, or orange; outer ones obovate or elliptic, abaxially densely villous, apex rounded; inner ones widely oblong-spatulate to sublinear. Florets (25-)35-45(-50), almost always bisexual, sometimes marginal florets female. Achenes papillate. Pappus of ca. 30 very thin soft scabrid yellowish or almost white hairs, approximately as long as corolla. Fl. Jul-Sep. 2n = 56.

Grassy slopes; 400-2400 m. N Xinjiang [Mongolia, Russia; Europe].