Palafoxia arida
| Palafoxia arida | |
|---|---|
| |
| P. arida var. arida (autonym) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae
|
| (unranked): | Angiosperms
|
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Subfamily: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | P. arida
|
| Binomial name | |
| Palafoxia arida | |
Palafoxia arida is a species of flowering plant in the aster family, known by the common names desert palafox and Spanish needle.
Distribution[]
It is native to the Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert ecoregions of California, the Southwestern United States, and northwestern Mexico.
Description[]
Palafoxia arida is an annual herb producing an erect, branching, glandular stem. The rough-haired leaves are linear or lance-shaped and may exceed 10 centimeters long.
The inflorescence is an array of up to 40 flower heads. The cylindrical heads are about 2 to 3 centimeters long, lined with long, pointed phyllaries, and bearing up to 40 pink or white tubular disc florets.
The fruit is an achene over a centimeter long including the pappus.
Varieties[]
There are two varieties:
- Palafoxia arida var. arida — Desert needle, Desert palafox.[3]
- Palafoxia arida var. gigantea — Giant Spanish needle; the larger, reaching 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in maximum height.[4]
References[]
- ^ "Palafoxia arida B.L.Turner & M.I.Morris". The Plant List; Version 1. (published on the internet). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden. 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
- ^ Palafoxia arida was published in Madrono; Journal of the California Botanical Society. Berkeley, California 23: 79. 1975. "Plant Name Details for Palafoxia arida". IPNI. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
San Bernardino County (California, Southwestern U.S.A., Northern America)
- ^ Calflora: Palafoxia arida var. arida
- ^ Calflora: Palafoxia arida var. gigantea
External links[]
- Calflora Database: Palafoxia arida (Desert palafox, Spanish needle)
- Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Palafoxia arida
- USDA Plants Profile for Palafoxia arida (desert palafox)
- U.C. Photos gallery
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- Palafoxia
- Flora of the California desert regions
- Flora of the Sonoran Deserts
- Flora of Northwestern Mexico
- Flora of the Southwestern United States
- Natural history of the Colorado Desert
- Natural history of the Mojave Desert
- Asteroideae stubs