Syntrichopappus Explained
Syntrichopappus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, including Baja California. It is a member of the Heliantheae alliance of the Asteraceae family.[1] There are two species.[2] Common names include xerasid[2] and Frémont's gold.
The name "Syntrichopappus" derives from a Greek name: "syn" = "joined together", "tricho" = "hair", of the "pappus", which means many bristles fused at the base (however some species have no pappus).[2] [3] The common name "xerasid" derives from Greek, meaning "son of dryness".[2]
Description
Leaves
Leaves are simple, alternate, sometimes with the lowest ones opposite.[3]
Inflorescence
Flower heads are solitary.[3] There is one yellow (or white with red veins) ray flower per phyllary, with 3-lobed ligules.[3] The yellow disk flowers are narrowly funnel shaped.[3]
Fruits
The fruits have 0 to many pappus bristles, fused at the base.[3]
Species
- Syntrichopappus fremontii (yellowray Frémont's gold) is native to desert regions of the American southwest and adjacent Baja California. It is a small woolly herb just a few centimeters tall bearing flower heads with usually five toothed yellow ray florets.[4] [5]
- Syntrichopappus lemmonii (pinkray Frémont's gold) is endemic to California, where it can be found in the southern coastal mountain ranges, including the Transverse Ranges. Its flower heads contain white, red-veined ray florets with pink undersides.[6] [7]
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Genus Syntrichopappus. Universal Protein Resource (UniProt).
- California Desert Wildflowers, An Introduction to Families, Genera, and Species; Sia Morhardt, Emil Morhardt; p 74-5
- Jepson Desert Manual: Syntrichopappus, Dale E. Johnson, 2002 Ed., p 184
- http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,1898,1899 Jepson Manual Treatment: S. fremontii
- http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220013207 Flora of North America: S. fremontii
- http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,1898,1900 Jepson Manual Treatment: S. lemmonii
- http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250067697 Flora of North America: S. lemmonii
