Enceliopsis nudicaulis

Enceliopsis nudicaulis
Enceliopsis nudicaulis var. corrugata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Enceliopsis
Species:
E. nudicaulis
Binomial name
Enceliopsis nudicaulis
Synonyms[1]
  • Encelia nudicaulis A.Gray
  • Enceliopsis tuta A.Nelson
  • Helianthella nudicaulis (A.Gray) A.Gray

Enceliopsis nudicaulis is a North American species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae known by the common name nakedstem sunray, or naked-stemmed daisy.[2]

Description

E. nudicaulis is a perennial herb growing up to 45 centimeters (18 inches) tall from a woody caudex fringed with gray-green hairy leaves.[3] The leaves are oval and up to 6.5 cm (2+1⁄2 in) long and wide.[4][3]

Blooming from May to August,[3] the inflorescence is a solitary flower head atop a tall, erect peduncle. The flower head is 7.5–10 cm (3–4 in);[3] it has a base made up of three layers of densely woolly, pointed phyllaries. It has a fringe of approximately 21 yellow ray florets each 2 to 4 cm (3⁄4 to 1+1⁄2 in) long. The fruit is a hairy achene about 1 cm in length.[4]

Varieties

There are two recognized varieties of this species:[4]

  • Enceliopsis nudicaulis var. corrugata, the Ash Meadows sunray – the rarer variety, which is probably endemic to Nevada in the vicinity of Ash Meadows in the Amargosa Desert; it is federally listed as threatened.[5]
  • Enceliopsis nudicaulis var. nudicaulis – found in most of species range[6]

Distribution and habitat

Enceliopsis nudicaulis is native to the western United States: Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and California including the Inyo Mountains–White Mountains and sky islands the Mojave Desert in California.[7] It grows in desert, plateau, and montane habitats.[2]

Uses

It is sometimes used as an ornamental plant in dry areas.[3]

References

  1. ^ The Plant List, Enceliopsis nudicaulis (A. Gray) A. Nelson
  2. ^ a b Calflora taxon report, University of California, Enceliopsis nudicaulis (A. Gray) Nelson, naked stemmed daisy, nakedstem sunray
  3. ^ a b c d e Spellenberg, Richard (2001) [1979]. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region (rev ed.). Knopf. p. 370. ISBN 978-0-375-40233-3.
  4. ^ a b c Flora of North America, Naked-stemmed daisy, Enceliopsis nudicaulis (A. Gray) A. Nelson
  5. ^ "Nevada Natural Heritage Program Rare Plants Fact Sheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2004-07-31. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  6. ^ Jepson Manual: var. nudicaulis
  7. ^ Biota of North America PRogram 2014 county distribution map

Information related to Enceliopsis nudicaulis