Palafoxia arida

Palafoxia arida is a species of flowering plant in the aster family, known by the common names desert palafox and Spanish needle.

Palafoxia arida
P. arida var. arida (autonym)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Asterids
Order:
Asterales
Family:
Asteraceae
Subfamily:
Asteroideae
Genus:
Palafoxia
Species:
P. arida
Binomial name
Palafoxia arida
B.L.Turner & M.I.Morris [1][2]

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
  1. "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.
  2.  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)
  3. Calflora: Palafoxia arida var. arida
  4. Calflora: Palafoxia arida var. gigantea


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