1	"Perennial herb; stem simple or branched, scapose or +- leafy; ligules much exceeding involucre; pappus parts often > 5 (subg. <i>Scorzonella</i>)"	2
1	"Annual; stem scapose; ligules +- equaling involucre; pappus parts < 6 (subg. <i>Microseris</i>)"	9
2	"Plant from rhizome-like caudex; pappus bristles 24--48, +- brown, barbed, basal scales 0; leaves all basal; sphagnum bogs, NCoRO"	"Microseris borealis"
2	"Plant taprooted; pappus bristles 5--30, each expanded at base into a small to large scale; leaves generally basal to cauline; various habitats"	3
3	"Pappus scales 15--30, silvery; bristles plumose; widespread"	"Microseris nutans"
3	"Pappus scales 5--24, often dull white or +- brown, bristles +- smooth or barbed to +- plumose"	4
4	"Pappus scales 4--10 mm; bristles barbed to +- plumose"	5
4	"Pappus scales 0.5--4 mm, bristles +- smooth to barbed"	6
5	"Pappus scales 5--10, +- dull yellow-brown; stem branched or simple, proximally leafy to mid-stem; outer phyllary tips recurved; generally GV, adjacent foothills"	"Microseris sylvatica"
5	"Pappus scales 9--19, silvery to dull white; stem simple, leafy proximally; phyllary tips erect; n KR and adjacent OR, rare"	"Microseris laciniata subsp. detlingii"
6	"Outer phyllaries often purple-spotted, lance-ovate to broadly ovate, 2.5--9 mm wide, generally glabrous"	"Microseris laciniata subsp. laciniata"
6	"Outer phyllaries rarely purple-spotted, linear to +- deltate or lanceolate, 0.5--2.5 mm wide, often mealy, sometimes +- black-hairy"	7
7	"Pappus scales 8--24, bristles white, barbed --- KR and adjacent OR"	"Microseris laciniata subsp. siskiyouensis"
7	"Pappus scales 5--10, bristles white, smooth or bristles +- brown, barbed"	8
8	"Pappus scales 0.5--2.5 mm, bristles white, smooth; NW"	"Microseris laciniata subsp. leptosepala"
8	"Pappus scales 2--4 mm, bristles +- brown, barbed; CCo, SnFrB"	"Microseris paludosa"
9	"Fruit generally < 3 mm"	10
9	"Fruit generally > 3 mm"	11
10	"Fruit widest near middle, tapered to base and (slightly) to tip; pappus scales 1--4 mm; NCo, CCo, SnFrB"	"Microseris bigelovii"
10	"Fruit widest at tip, tapered to base; pappus scales 0.2--2.5 mm; widespread"	"Microseris elegans"
11	"Pappus scales <= 1 mm"	"Microseris douglasii subsp. tenella"
11	"Pappus scales averaging 1.5 mm or longer"	12
12	"Pappus scales 3.5--11 mm, lance-linear, barely inrolled, midrib > 1/5 scale width"	"Microseris acuminata"
12	"Pappus scales <= 7 mm (if lance-linear midrib < 1/5 scale width)"	13
13	"Pappus scales curved only at base, midrib linear, thicker at base; NCo, CCo, SnFrB"	"Microseris bigelovii"
13	"Pappus scales becoming +- curved throughout, midrib evenly tapered from thick base"	14
14	"Pappus scales 5, barely or not pigmented, becoming slightly inrolled; SNF, GV, e CW, SCo (rare)"	"Microseris campestris"
14	"Pappus scales 5 or fewer, darkly to not pigmented, becoming strongly inrolled"	15
15	"Pappus scales generally < fruit (if > fruit, then fruit > 4.5 mm); widespread"	"Microseris douglasii subsp. douglasii"
15	"Pappus scales >= fruit; fruit <= 4.5 mm; SCo, PR, s ChI"	"Microseris douglasii subsp. platycarpha"