See more Packera.

Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands, openings. Spring, summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, May 13, 2004.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, March 31, 2004.

Common in Canyon Country in mid-spring, Packera multilobatus produces small but numerous bright yellow flowers atop many, deeply cut, lobed leaves ("multilobatus").  It brightens shady Cottonwood groves and sandy open arid areas.

"Packera" is for John Packer, modern Canadian botanist.  "Multilobatus", Latin, means "many lobed" and refers to the leaves.

John Fremont collected the first specimens of this plant for science in the 1840s in California and John Torrey and Asa Gray named the plant Senecio multilobatus in 1849.  William Weber named it Packera multilobatus in 1981.  Click to see the note about Senecios.

Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands, openings. Spring, summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, May 13, 2004.

Precipitation at just the times Packera multilobatus likes it, produced a spectacular display in 2004.

Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands, openings. Spring, summer. 
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, June 12, 2005.

Foothills, montane, subalpine. Woodlands, openings. Summer.
Horse Gulch Trail, June 7, 2004.

The Packera genus is common in the San Juans and nearby mountain ranges; species are difficult to distinguish because they hybridize. The very common Packera neomexicana enjoys dry hillsides and meadows and can produce an abundance of flowers on each plant and an abundance of plants in an area.  The elongated stalk with few, small leaves is characteristic.

"Packera" is for John Packer, modern Canadian botanist.  Charles Wright collected the first specimens of this plant for science in New Mexico and the plant was first named Senecio neomexicanus by Asa Gray in 1884. This name is still accepted by Intermountain Flora but in 1981 Weber renamed the plant Packera neomexicana. This web site follows Weber's nomenclature.  (More biographical information.)

Foothills, montane, subalpine. Woodlands, openings. Summer.
West Mancos Trail, June 1, 2000.

Varying growing conditions can produce lush leaf growth, as in this picture of the basal leaves of Packera neomexicana, or sparse leaf growth.

Foothills, montane, subalpine. Woodlands, openings. Summer.
Narraguinnep Natural Area, May 28, 2004.

Foothills, montane, subalpine. Woodlands, openings. Summer.
Mesa Verde National Park, Prater Ridge Trail, June 3, 2004.

Going and gone to seed.  The white puff is made up of the pappus hairs which sit at the top of the seeds and carry them on the wind.