Douglas' dustymaiden

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Douglas' dustymaiden
• hoary false yarrow
• Douglas's dusty-maiden
• dusty-maiden
• Douglas Dustymaiden
• Hoary Chaenactis

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Chaenactis achilleifolia var. douglasii

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified within the order Asterales and the family Asteraceae. Finally, it is identified by its genus, Chaenactis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across parts of Western North America. In Western Canada, its range includes the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Moving into the Northwestern United States, it can be found growing in the state of Idaho. The species also extends its reach into Montana within the same region. Additionally, its habitat reaches as far south as Colorado.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Chaenactis douglasii is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons within its habitat. As a perennial, it avoids the complete mortality associated with annuals, instead focusing on establishing a stable root system that supports recurring vegetative growth. This life cycle enables the plant to navigate the environmental fluctuations of its native ecosystems, often utilizing its established structure to emerge and flower repeatedly when seasonal conditions become favorable. Through this perennial strategy, the plant can invest energy into long-term survival and reproductive success, contributing to its ability to maintain populations in its specific ecological niche.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Chaenactis douglasii is characterized by a growth form classified as both a herb and a forb, typically reaching an average plant height of 0.49 m. It is a non-woody, self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, nor does it exhibit any parasitic behavior, existing instead as an independent organism. The species is terrestrial in nature, lacking aquatic or epiphytic tendencies, and maintains a structural habit that is entirely self-supporting without the need for external attachment.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

0.49 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

Reproduction in Chaenaectis douglasii is primarily driven by the production of specialized seeds that facilitate dispersal and colonization of suitable habitats. The reproductive success of the species is closely linked to the physical characteristics of its progeny, specifically regarding the mass of the individual seeds produced. Quantitative analysis of the seed mass reveals a highly consistent range, with a measured mean seed mass of approximately 0.00129741675 g. The variability within the population is relatively narrow, as evidenced by a minimum seed mass of 0.001183 g and a maximum seed mass of 0.001668 g. These fine-scale measurements indicate a stabilized reproductive strategy where seed size is tightly controlled, likely to optimize the balance between nutrient provisioning for the embryo and the capacity for efficient dispersal within its ecological niche.

Seed mass max:

0.001668 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00129741675 g

Seed mass min:

0.001183 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Chaenactis douglasii has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root.

Root

1. Planta medica

Chemicals

Chaenactis douglasii has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Thiarubrine A.

Thiarubrine A

1. Planta medica

Activities

Chaenactis douglasii has 2 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antifungal.

Antibacterial

1. Planta medica

Antifungal

1. Planta medica