Eryngium armatum
Eryngium armatum, known by the common names coastal eryngo and prickly coyote thistle, is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family.
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Species: | E. armatum |
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It is endemic to the coastline of northern and central California, where it along beaches and coastal bluffs. Many populations are in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Description
Eryngium armatum is a low perennial herb growing patches of thick green to yellow-green leaves, each long and straight, sometimes with serrated or toothed edges.
Atop stout stems are inflorescences of spiky flower heads each nearly a centimeter wide. Each is surrounded by seven or eight long, sharp-pointed bracts about two centimeters long, and sometimes more layers of bractlets on top. The tiny white to purplish flowers are tucked between the layers of bracts.
See also
- Endemic flora of California
- Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands
External links
- Calflora Database: Eryngium armatum (Coastal eryngo, Coyote thistle, Prickly coyote thistle)
- Jepson eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Eryngium armatum
- USDA Plants Profile
- UC CalPhotos gallery of Eryngium armatum