Cirsium neomexicanum A. Gray
Desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass Asteridae A large class that encompasses asters
Order Asterales Flowering plants with a central disk flower and surrounding petals, like daisies
Family Asteraceae The aster family, which also includes daisies and sunflowers; from the Greek ἀστήρ, “star,” for the star-shaped flowers
Genus Cirsium From Greek kirsion, “a kind of thistle”
Species neomexicanum Of or from New Mexico
About plant names...
New Mexico thistle is native to the southwestern United States. It is commonly
found in many desert habitats, at elevations of 2625-6890′ (800-2100 m).
Plants: 1-9½′ (40-290 cm) high, on a tough, fibrous stalk that is
erect or ascending , and somewhat or heavily
branched.
Leaves: Basal leaves are oblong, forming a basal rosette
2-10″ (5-25 cm) around. Leaf stems on lower leaves (petioles ) are spiny, with narrow wings. Upper
leaves lack stems (sessile ). They are pinnate , up to 7″ (17 cm) long, and tipped with sharp spines. They are greenish gray or whitish due to the presence
of a dense network of fibers like thick spider webs.
Flowers: Flowerheads often have a single flower, though sometimes
there is a small cluster. Flowers are pink, lavendar, or white, and up to 2″ (5 cm) around. They consist of disc florets but no ray florets,
resembling a soft brush like an old-style shaving brush. Flowers appear from April to May.
Fruits: A flat brown achene ~3/16″ (5-6 mm) in size, with a bristly pappus
½-⅞″ (1.5-2.3 cm) long.
Online References:
Www.americansouthwest.net
Wildflowers, Ferns & Trees of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah
The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database
Wikipedia
SEINet—the Southwest Environmental Information Network
The Jepson Manual
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm)
4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 10 × 15″ (26 × 39 cm)
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)
4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
Older scientific or horticultural names
Carduus inamoenus Greene
Cirsium arcuum A. Nelson
Cirsium neomexicanum A. Gray var. neomexicanum
Cirsium neomexicanum A. Gray var. utahense (Petr.) S.L. Welsh
Cirsium utahense Petr.
Cirsium wallowense M. Peck
Cirsium neomexicanum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm)
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm)
5/3/2007 · Near Death Valley · By Rhonda Tatiana Schorer ID is uncertain
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California
5/3/2007 · Near Death Valley · By Rhonda Tatiana Schorer ID is uncertain
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm)
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)
5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
Range:
About this map...
Home   
Species