Tall Townsend Daisy

Townsendia eximia is a herbaceous species that may be a biennial or a perennial, but are normally biennials. Plants are usually 6 to 15 centimeters (2.4 to 5.9 in) tall, but from time to time can reach 30 cm (12 in). Plants have more or less erect stems that are strigose, covered in hairs that point the same direction, and occasionally can be rhizomatous. Usually the stems are unbranched and are often reddish in color. It is very similar to showy townsendia (Townsendia grandiflora), but taller. The species has both cauline and basal leaves, ones that are attached to the stems or directly to the base of the plant, that are spatulate to oblanceolate in shape. They typically measure 1.5–6 centimeters long and just 2–6 millimeters in width, but can reach 12 cm long and 10 mm wide. The faces of the leaves are usually hairless, though sometimes sparsely covered in hairs, but the leaf edges are strigoso-ciliate, edged with straight hairs.

The flowering heads are large and showy with Asa Gray saying that they are, "The most striking species of the genus..." Each flowering head is by itself at the end of a leafy stem. The involucre, the underside of the flowering head supporting the ray and disk flowers, is a half sphere or slightly broader in shape normally 12–25 mm in diameter, though infrequently as little as 8 mm. …

Townsendia eximia grows in just two states, New Mexico and Colorado. The majority of its range is in central New Mexico as far south as Socorro and Torrance counties and north to the state line. In Colorado it is found in just four counties in near New Mexico, Conejos, Costilla, Huerfano , and Las Animas. The species is associated with yellow pines, such as in ponderosa pine forests, with piñon–juniper woodlands, and also are found on gravelly banks and canyon walls. It most often grows at elevations of 2,100–2,500 meters (6,900–8,200 ft), but may sometimes be found as low as 1,900 m (6,200 ft) or as high as 3,300 m (10,800 ft).

Conservation. The conservation organization NatureServe evaluated Townsendia eximia in 1988 and rated it as apparently secure at the global level (G4). In Colorado they rated it as vulnerable (S3), but they did not give the species a rating for its range in New Mexico.

The tall townsend daisy is cultivated and sold as a garden plant, particularly for use in western native plant gardening and rock gardens. Rock gardeners regard the species as easy to grow from seed, like Townsendia parryi and Townsendia exscapa.