Geraea canescens

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For other uses, see Desert Sunflower (disambiguation).

Desert Sunflower
Desert Sunflower (Geraea canescens)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Geraea Species: G. canescens
Binomial name
Geraea canescens Torr. & Gray

Geraea canescens is also known as the desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, or desert gold. It is a dicot and annual of the Aster (Asteraceae) family. "Geraea" in its scientific name comes from the Greek geraios ("old man"), referring to the white hairs on the fruits.^[1]

The desert sunflower has a yellow sunflower-like flower, each flower on a slender, hairy stem. It grows 1-3 feet (0.3–1 m) high. The leaves are gray-green and grow to 3 inches (7.6 cm) long. It flowers February through May after sufficient rainfall.

It is native to western North America, specifically Arizona, Nevada, California, and Utah. A drought-avoiding annual plant, it can be found in the California, Mojave, and Sonoran Deserts. It grows from sea level to 4,265 feet (1,300 m) in sandy desert soil in the company of creosote brush.^[2]

The flowers attract bees and birds. Seeds are eaten by birds and rodents.^[3]

There are two varieties of Geraea canescens:

• Geraea canescens var. canescens
• Geraea canescens var. paniculata S.F.Blake

[edit] External links

• USDA. Geraea canescens Torr. & Gray. Hairy Desertsunflower. PLANTS Profile.
• Geraea canescens. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
• Picture of Desert Sunflowers in Death Valley
• CalPhotos page for desert sunflower
• Map of the Desert Sunflower's range

[edit] References