Chaenactis xantiana

Chaenactis xantiana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Heliantheae
Genus: Chaenactis
Species: C. xantiana
Binomial name
Chaenactis xantiana
A.Gray
Synonyms[1]

Chaenactis floribunda Greene

Chaenactis xantiana, the Mojave pincushion or Xantus pincushion,[2] is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the western United States, from southeastern Oregon, Nevada, southern and eastern California and northwestern Arizona.[3] It is very common in the Antelope Valley in the Mojave Desert, and grows in sandy soils.[4][2]

Description

Chaenactis xantiana is an annual plant growing to 50 cm tall. The leaves are somewhat succulent, 3-7 cm long and 3-4 mm broad, in a basal rosette on the young plants which wither away during flowering, and spirally arranged leaves on the flowering stem; they are green, finely flecked with white scales giving an overall grayish color to the plant.[5][6]

The Mojave pincushion flowers are produced in a capitulum 3-6 cm diameter, and are white.[5]

It is similar to Chaenactis stevioides (Esteve pincushion).

The species is named for Hungarian-American ichthyologist John Xantus (1825-1894).[6]

References

  1. ↑ The Plant List, Chaenactis xantiana A.Gray
  2. 1 2 Calflora taxon report, University of California, Chaenactis xantiana A. Gray, Xantus Pincushion, Xantus' chaenactis, fleshcolor pincushion
  3. ↑ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  4. ↑ Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Jon Mark Stewart, 1998, pg. 45
  5. 1 2 Flora of North America, Fleshy pincushion, fleshcolor pincushion, Xantus pincushion, Chaenactis xantiana A. Gray
  6. 1 2 Gray, Asa 1865. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 6: 545
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