Blennosperma nanum
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| Blennosperma nanum (Hook.) S.F.Blake |
The annual herb Blennosperma nanum has the common names glue-seed and common stickyseed. It is a small yellow flower closely related to the daisy. The petals are a paler yellow than many other daisy-like flowers, and the ring of stamens ooze a viscous white juice containing the pollen. The seeds are also carried in a gluey fluid. The Greek name for the genus means "slimy seed."
The flower is distributed throughout the lower elevations in California, but is not particularly abundant. It is a resident of vernal pool floral communities. Glue-seed is often one of the first flowers to bloom as winter turns to spring.
There are two subspecies of the plant:
- Blennosperma nanum var. robustum: the Point Reyes subspecies of the plant, sometimes called Point Reyes blennosperma, is very rare and is only found in that isolated area.
- Blennosperma nanum var. nanum is much more common, and is sometimes called common blennosperma, yellow carpet, or meadow daisy.
