Intermountain Flora indicates that there are about 200 species of Crepis (the more generally accepted name than Psilochenia) and that we have twelve species native to the New World.  The plants are often difficult to identify because they hybridize.   Most of our species, Intermountain Flora indicates, belong to a "complex in which the lines among taxa can only be drawn arbitrarily....  Clear distinction among [most of our] species should not be expected and in fact do not exist." 

    "Psilochenia" is from the Greek for "bare seed".  "Crepis", a boot or sandal, is an ancient Greek name used by Pliny for some plant.

Foothills. Openings, woodlands. Late spring, summer.
Can-Do Trail above McPhee Reservoir, June 4, 2009.

Crepis intermedia, like its very close cousin, Crepis occidentalis, often grows in clusters, but Crepis intermedia tends to grow in very dense, tall clusters whereas Crepis occidentalis tends be shorter and, although upright, the clusters tend to be spread along the ground over a wider area.  Leaves of Crepis intermedia have a very prominent mid-vein and are deeply lobed, sometimes with teeth on the lobes. Crepis intermedia is taller than Crepis occidentalis, growing from twelve-to-twenty-four inches tall (Crepis occidentalis grows from about 4-to-15 inches tall). 

Both plants have an abundance of bright golden/yellow flower heads composed only of ray flowers.  Seeds (achenes) of Crepis intermedia are light yellow or brown; those of Crepis occidentalis are usually darker brown.

Asa Gray named this plant Crepis intermedia in 1884 from a collection made by Bolander in Yosemite Valley.  William Weber, Colorado Plant authority, renamed it Psilochenia intermedia in 1983. 

Crepis intermedia.  Synonym: Psilochenia intermedia.
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Foothills. Openings, woodlands. Late spring, summer.
Can-Do Trail above McPhee Reservoir, June 4, 2009.

Crepis intermedia has 10-60 heads of flowers per plant and each head has 7-16 ray flowers.  Crepis occidentalis, shown below, has fewer heads of flowers (2-25) but more ray flowers (12-30) in each head.  

Crepis intermedia.  Synonym: Psilochenia intermedia.
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Foothills. Openings, woodlands. Late spring, summer.
Can-Do Trail above McPhee Reservoir, June 4, 2009.

Foothills. Openings, woodlands. Late spring.
Mesa Verde National Park, Prater Ridge Trail, June 5, 2004.

Crepis occidentalis often grows in dense, upright clusters, has deeply lobed basal and stem leaves somewhat similar to those of a Dandelion, and has bright golden/yellow flower heads composed only of ray flowers.  In dry locations or dry years it grows to about five inches tall; in more favorable conditions it can reach twelve-to-fifteen inches.

Nathaniel Wyeth collected the first specimens of this plant for his botanist friend, Thomas Nuttall, and Nuttall at first named the plant Crepis occidentalis in 1834.  Nuttall renamed the plant Psilochenia occidentalis in 1841.

Foothills. Openings, woodlands. Spring.
Mesa Verde National Park, Prater Ridge Trail, June 5, 2004.

Foothills. Openings, woodlands. Spring.
Mesa Verde National Park, Prater Ridge Trail, June 5, 2004.

Involucres are covered with minute, vertical, glandular hairs that are enlarged at their tip.  Leaves have small hairs and are folded inward and lobed in an irregular manner.

This slender Crepis would be lost in its normal habitat of grassy meadows except that its bright yellow flower grabs our attention.  Then we follow down the tall almost leafless stalk to the small Dandelion-like leaves.  Notice how smooth the margins of these leaves are compared to the deeply cut and toothed margins of the above pictured Crepis. 

Crepis runcinata grows to 15 inches tall and where you find one growing in a meadow, you will find many others scattered nearby.    

Edwin James collected the first specimen of this plant for science around 1820 and named it Hieracium runcinatum in 1823.  Torrey and Gray renamed it Crepis runcinata in 1843 and it has since undergone a number of name changes, including Psilochenia runcinata assigned by Löve and Löve in 1982. "Runcinatus" means "saw-toothed".

Montane, sub-alpine. Wet meadows. Summer.
Lone Mesa State Park, August 5, 2008.

A very fresh flower stands next to a flower that has been fertilized and has dropped its petals.  The white fluff is the pappus hairs that sit atop the seeds and carry them on the wind after the seed head fully matures. 

Several key factors help to distinguish this Crepis from the above Crepis: its wet habitat of montane and sub-alpine meadows, its very broad, bulbous involucre, and its lack of hairiness.

Montane, sub-alpine. Wet meadows. Summer.
Haviland Lake Trail, June 27, 2005.

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 Crepis intermedia

Range map for Crepis occidentalis

Range map for Crepis runcinata