Coleogyne ramosissima (Blackbrush)

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Coleogyne ramosissima Torr.

Blackbrush

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	Rosales	Rose family and eight others
Family	Rosaceae	Includes apples, apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, almonds, roses, meadowsweets, photinias, firethorns, rowans, and hawthorns; many others
Genus	Coleogyne	From the Greek koleos, “sheath,” and gune, “ovary”
Species	ramosissima	Very branched

About plant names...

Blackbrush is a nondescript (except when flowering!) aromatic shrub that can form extensive colonies. It is native to deserts of the southwestern North America, including parts of the Mojave, Great Basin, and Sonoran deserts. The common name refers to its branches, gray when dry, turning black with rain, or as the shrub ages.

Plants: Densely branched shrubs are 12-79" (30-200 cm) in height. Branches have spiny tips.

Leaves: Plants are technically evergreen, but they are drought deciduous—they drop many of their leaves in the summer in order to reduce water loss. Leaves are simple (smooth-edged), ⅛-½" (5-15 mm) long, gray-green, and linear to oblanceolate.

Flowers: Each flower has four thick, fuzzy sepals, yellow inside, and reddish or orange outside; 20-40 yellow stamens; one pistil, and either no petals or up to four. The overall effect is that the flowers look yellowish. Buds are reddish brown. Flowering is triggered by heavy rains.

Fruits: Dry, leathery achenes, ¹/₁₆-⅛" (3-4 mm) long, crescent-shaped, and red-brown.

Online References:

Wildflowers, Ferns & Trees of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah (great photos)

Calscape.org

Wikipedia

The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database

Www.americansouthwest.net

The Jepson Manual

5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Visitor Center, Joshua Tree National Park, California
≈ 21 × 14" (52 × 34 cm)

Coleogyne ramosissima description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 1 Jan 2021.

5/3/2018 · Ryan Mountain, Joshua Tree National Park, California
≈ 21 × 14" (52 × 34 cm)

5/3/2018 · Ryan Mountain, Joshua Tree National Park, California
≈ 10 × 6" (24 × 16 cm)

5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Visitor Center, Joshua Tree National Park, California
≈ 10 × 6" (24 × 16 cm)

5/3/2018 · Ryan Mountain, Joshua Tree National Park, California
≈ 21 × 14" (52 × 34 cm)

Range:

About this map...