Thelesperma subnudum, commonly known as Navajo tea,[1] is a perennial species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is found from west central Canada to central United States. It grows in openings in pinyon/juniper or yellow pine forests.
Thelesperma subnudum is a perennial herb that typically grows between tall. The cauline leaves are "mostly crowded over proximal 1/4(–1/2) of plant heights". The calyculi are "of 7–9 deltate to lance-linear bractlets 2–4+ mm". There are 0 or 8 ray florets per flower head. The ray laminae are yellow, typically long. The disc corollas are yellow, sometimes with red-brown nerves. The cypselae are long.
It typically blooms from May to September.
It is native to Alberta, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.[2] [3] [4]
It grows at elevations of 1000–2900 meters from sea level in openings in pinyon/juniper or yellow pine forests.
The Navajo have used the flower to produce a yellow to orange dye solution for dyeing woolen yarns.[5]
As of July 2023, Plants of the World Online has 2 varieties listed for this taxon: