Constancea is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae (order Asterales), containing a single species, Constancea nevinii, commonly known as Nevin's woolly sunflower. The genus was named in 2000 (published in Madroño 46(3): 159) by botanist Bruce G. Baldwin, who honored botanist Lincoln Constance. The species had previously been classified as Eriophyllum nevinii, but genetic analyses showed it did not share a common ancestor with the other Eriophyllum species, so it was segregated into its own genus.
Constancea nevinii is a small shrub or subshrub, typically growing 1 to 1.5 meters tall (taller in an erect form), with a branching, woolly stem. Its whitish, woolly oval leaves reach up to 20 centimeters long and are divided into many narrow lobes with edges curled under. The inflorescence consists of clusters of 10 to 50 or more small flower heads, each borne on a short peduncle. Each flower head has a center of hairy, glandular, star-shaped yellow disc florets surrounded by a fringe of four to nine yellow ray florets about 2 millimeters long. The fruit is a small achene a few millimeters long, topped with a small pappus.
The genus is endemic to three of the Channel Islands of California, where it grows in coastal scrub habitat. Like many other Channel Islands endemics, it was historically threatened with extinction by the herbivory of feral goats introduced to the islands. Since the goats were removed, the population has been recovering.
Etymology
The genus Constancea was described in 2000 by botanist Bruce G. Baldwin (published in Madroño 46(3): 159) and named in honor of botanist Lincoln Constance.
Distribution
Constancea is endemic to three of the Channel Islands of California, where its sole species grows in coastal scrub habitat.
Conservation
Like many other Channel Islands endemics, Constancea nevinii was historically threatened with extinction by the herbivory of feral goats introduced to the islands; since the goats were removed, the plant has been recovering.
Taxonomy Notes
Constancea nevinii was formerly classified as Eriophyllum nevinii. Genetic analyses showed it did not share a common ancestor with other Eriophyllum species, so it was segregated into the new, monotypic genus Constancea in 2000.
