Introductory
SPECIES: Artemisia pygmaea | Pygmy Sagebrush 



ABBREVIATION : 
ARTPYG

SYNONYMS : 
NO-ENTRY


SCS PLANT CODE : 
NO-ENTRY


COMMON NAMES : 
   pygmy sagebrush
   pigmy sagebrush


TAXONOMY : 
The fully documented scientific name of pygmy sagebrush is Artemisia
pygmaea A.Gray [9].  Pygmy sagebrush was formerly placed in the
monotypic section Pygmaeae by Rydberg (1916) [1].  Many later
researchers, including Beetle [1] and Ward [22], grouped Artemisia
pygmaea into the section Tridentatae.  According to McArthur [12],
karyotype, stem anatomy, and chromatography all suggest an affinity with
the section Tridentatae.  This unique species is, however, considered by
many to be difficult to place taxonomically [12,18].  Possible origins
of pygmy sagebrush are also unclear.  Beetle [1] maintains that pygmy
sagebrush has more features in common with black sagebrush (Artemisia
nova) and may have diverged from this stalk long ago.  Other researchers
believe that a prototype of the Tridentatae line may have given rise to
pygmy sagebrush [2,22].  According to Beetle [1], pygmy sagebrush is one
of the most uniform types in Tridentatae and shows little evidence of
hybridizing with other species.  Both diploid and tetraploid forms occur
[13].


LIFE FORM : 
Shrub

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
D. Tirmenstein     June, 1987.


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
D. Tirmenstein     January, 1988.


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Tirmenstein, D. 1987. Artemisia pygmaea. In: Remainder of Citation

Related categories for Species: Artemisia pygmaea | Pygmy Sagebrush