Calliandra peninsularis (Baja fairy duster)

FloraFinder uses cookies only for correct operation. More info. Okay

Calliandra peninsularis Rose

Baja fairy duster

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	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Fabales	Legumes (pea and bean families)
Family	Fabaceae	Legume family (peas and beans)
Genus	Calliandra	From the Greek kallos, “beautiful,” and andra, “stamen”
Species	peninsularis

About plant names...

The Baja fairy duster is a type of mimosa.

Identification: I'm guessing that photo 2 is Calliandra peninsularis rather than a somewhat smaller Callliandra californica because I saw this at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and their web site lists C. peninsularis. Like other fairy dusters (e.g. Calliandra haematocephala, Calliandra eriophylla Benth.), these have small dark green bipinnate leaves. The soft-bristled "flowers" are really sprays of stamens.

In this species, the shape of the "brush" is like an inverted cone; in others it is more rounded. The flowers are small and white, fused together at the base of the stamens, and not very interesting (unless of course you happen to be a hummingbird). Seed pods are small, curled and dark brown. As they dry out, they build up pressure like a coiled spring, eventually exploding to spread their seeds.

Online References:

The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum Sonoran Desert Digital Library

Www.wildscaping.com

George and Audrey DeLange's Arizona wildflower site

Gymnosperms.org

ZipcodeZoo.com

Calliandra brandegeei (Britton & Rose) Gentry

Anneslia brandegeei Britton & Rose

Anneslia lagunae Britton & Rose

Anneslia peninsularis Rose

Anneslia brandegeei (Britton & Rose) Gentry

Calliandra peninsularis description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

1 · Don't know the species of the hummingbird. · 5/24/2009 · Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona
≈ 5 × 3½" (12 × 8.7 cm)

2 · 5/24/2009 · Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona
≈ 2½ × 4" (7 × 10 cm)