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Geraea canescens Torr. & A. Gray

Desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassAsteridaeA large class that encompasses asters
OrderAsteralesFlowering plants with a central disk flower and surrounding petals, like daisies
FamilyAsteraceaeThe aster family, which also includes daisies and sunflowers; from the Greek ἀστήρ, “star,” for the star-shaped flowers
GenusGeraeaFrom the Greek geraios for old, for the white-haired involucre
SpeciescanescensCovered with short gray or white hairs

About plant names...

The desert sunflower is native to western North America. It is a member of the aster family. After a rain, these flowers carpet wide expanses of desert.

Identification: Desert sunflowers are 4-31" (10-80 cm) high. They have gray-green leaves ⅜-4" (1-10 cm) long. Most of the leaves are near the base of the plant. Each stem is narrow and hairy, and bears a single yellow flower 1-1½" (2.5-3.8 cm) in diameter, with an orange center.

For this and many other flowers of the Anza Borrego desert, see this photo gallery.

Online References:

SEINet—the Southwest Environmental Information Network

CalPhotos

Wikipedia

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

George and Audrey DeLange's Arizona wildflower site

The Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association

EFloras

The Jepson Manual

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 5 × 4" (13 × 10 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

4/28/2018 · High Point Overlook, Scenic Drive, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 10 × 7" (26 × 18 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

4/28/2018 · High Point Overlook, Scenic Drive, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 12 × 12" (29 × 31 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 24 × 16" (62 × 41 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 6 × 4½" (15 × 12 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

4/28/2018 · Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 4 × 4" (10 × 10 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 3½ × 3" (9.5 × 7.9 cm)

Geraea canescens Torr. & A. Gray var. canescens

Geraea canescens Torr. & A. Gray var. paniculata (A. Gray) S.F. Blake

 

Geraea canescens description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.


  

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 7 × 8" (18 × 19 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

4/28/2018 · Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 12 × 8" (31 × 20 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 7 × 6" (16 × 14 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 13 × 11" (32 × 26 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

2/26/2010 · Torrey Pines State Park, La Jolla, Cali­fornia
≈ 2 × 2" (5.7 × 5.5 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 9 × 6" (23 × 15 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 4 × 4" (10 × 11 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 15 × 10" (39 × 26 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

2/26/2010 · Torrey Pines State Park, La Jolla, Cali­fornia
≈ 2 × 1¾" (6 × 4.8 cm)

Geraea canescens (desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold, hairy desertsunflower)

4/28/2018 · High Point Overlook, Scenic Drive, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 8.7 cm)

Range:

About this map...