Nicolletia occidentalis
| Nicolletia occidentalis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Tribe: | Tageteae |
| Genus: | Nicolletia |
| Species: | N. occidentalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Nicolletia occidentalis A.Gray | |
Nicolletia occidentalis is a flowering plant in the marigold tribe of the daisy family which is known by the common name Mojave hole-in-the-sand plant.
This flower is native to California, especially the Mojave Desert, and northern Baja California.
Description
Nicolletia occidentalis is a desert-adapted perennial herb with a skeletonlike appearance. The narrow, fleshy leaves each end in a bristle and have large oil glands which exude a strong unpleasant scent. The plant grows from a deep taproot in the desert sand and the stem is sometimes surrounded by a depression in the sand, a trait that gives it its common name.
This plant bears showy flowers with curving bright pink ray florets and yellow centers.