"Chaenactis" is from the Greek "open or gaping rays", but since Chaenactis flowers have no ray flowers the genus name perhaps refers to what appear to be ray flowers in some species.  These seeming ray flowers are, in the words of the Flora of North America, "enlarged peripheral disc corollas".

Chaenactis douglasii variety alpina. Synonym: Chaenactis alpina.  (Alpine Chaenactis)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Subalpine, alpine. Meadows, scree. Summer.
Colorado Trail near Kennebec Pass Trail, August 12, 2004.

Alpine Chaenactis flowers are on short stems just above the finely cut, fern-like leaves; the entire plant is low mounded to over a foot across.  It grows only above tree-line on finely broken rocky slopes.  Although Chaenactis alpina is not abundant, you will find that once you have spotted one plant you will almost always find a number of others nearby.

Chaenactis douglasii variety alpina. Synonym: Chaenactis alpina.  (Alpine Chaenactis)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Subalpine, alpine. Meadows, scree. Summer.
Cross Mountain Trail, August 19, 2008.

In the center of the photograph, mature seeds are ready to fall while other flower heads show the reds of autumn.

Chaenactis douglasii variety alpina. Synonym: Chaenactis alpina.  (Alpine Chaenactis)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Subalpine, alpine. Meadows, scree. Summer.
Colorado Trail near Kennebec Pass Trail, August 12, 2004.

Chaenactis douglasii variety douglasii (Chaenactis)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands, openings. Spring, summer.
Mesa Verde National Park, Prater Ridge Trail, June 3, 2004 and May 9, 2007.

Chaenactis douglasii, about 8 to 12 inches tall, has tiny button-like cream-to-yellow flower heads composed of only disk flowers.  These surmount a tall narrow leaf stalk with deeply incised leaves.  The basal leaves are similar to the stalk leaves but much larger.

Chaenactis douglasii basal leaves can be confused with those of Hymenopappus filifolius.

Intermountain Flora notes that Chaenactis douglasii is " a widespread, complex, highly variable species....  A formal key would give a misleading impression of precision."

"Douglasii" honors David Douglas (of Douglas Fir fame), acclaimed 19^th century Scottish botanist and explorer.  Douglas collected this plant near the Great Falls of the Columbia River, probably in the late 1820s and it was described and named for him by William Jackson Hooker in his 1833 Flora Boreali-Americana.  (More biographical information.)

Chaenactis douglasii variety douglasii (Chaenactis)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Chaenactis douglasii variety douglasii (Chaenactis)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Ray flowers mature to white seeds that dry and expand into a large, spherical, sparkling seed head which attracts more attention than the original flower.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Chaenactis douglasii variety alpina

Range map for Chaenactis douglasii variety douglasii