Arida arizonica
| Arida arizonica | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Machaeranthera |
| Species: | M. arida |
| Binomial name | |
| Machaeranthera arida B.L. Turner & Horne | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Arida arizonica | |
Arida arizonica, (formerly Machaeranthera arida),[1] is an annual plant in the Sunflower or Aster Family (Asteraceae), known by the common names arid tansyaster, desert tansyaster, and Silver Lake daisy.[2] It is native to the very arid deserts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, and usually looks straggly and not very attractive.[2] But in years with very heavy rainfall, it fills out and becomes rounded and bush like.[2]
Range and habitat
It is widespread throughout its desert habitat, including disturbed areas such as roadsides. It can be found in very arid, open sandy and salty soils, up to 3,000'.[2] It grows in creosote bush scrub, alkali sink, and desert dry wash areas in the central and eastern Mojave Desert from Barstow, California to Arizona and Sonora, Mexico.[2]
Growth pattern
It is an annual herb with a branching stem reaching 30 centimeters tall.
Leaves and stem
The oblong leaves are up to 3 centimeters long, edged with bristly teeth, and sometimes divided into lobes. The herbage is coated with glandular rough hairs.
Flowers and fruit
It flowers between March and June.[2] The inflorescence bears one or more flower heads lined with glandular phyllaries. The head has a center of many yellow disc florets and a fringe of 25-35 lavender or white ray florets each a few millimeters long.[2] The fruit is a hairy achene between 1 and 2 millimeters long. Fruits from the disc florets generally have pappi.
References
- ↑ Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Pam MacKay, 2nd Ed., p. 314
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Pam MacKay, 2nd Ed., p. 124