Geraea canescens Torr. & A. Gray var. paniculata (A. Gray) S.F. Blake
Geraea canescens Torr. & A. Gray
Desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, desert gold
The desert sunflower is an annual native to western North America. It is a member of the aster family. After a rain, these flowers carpet wide expanses of desert.
Plants: Desert sunflowers are 4–31″ (10–80 cm) high. Stems and branches are densely hairy.
Leaves: Alternate, ovate to lanceolate, gray-green, sometimes toothed, ⅜–4″ (1–10 cm) long. Most of the leaves are near the base of the plant.
Flowers: Each stem is narrow and hairy, and bears a single yellow flower 1–2″ (2.5–5 cm) in diameter. Each flower has 10-20 ray florets, and an orange center. Flowers appear from February to May. Flowers may also appear in October and November, given enough rainfall.
Fruits: Cypselae with small pappi.
Habitats: Sandy desert soils, along with creosote bush, at elevations below 4265′ (1.3 km).
For this and many other flowers of the Anza Borrego desert, see this photo gallery.
Online References:
Geraea canescens Torr. & A. Gray var. canescens
Geraea canescens Torr. & A. Gray var. paniculata (A. Gray) S.F. Blake
Geraea canescens Torr. & A. Gray var. paniculata (A. Gray) S.F. Blake
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California · ≈ 5 × 4″ (13 × 10 cm) 
4/28/2018 · High Point Overlook, Scenic Drive, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 10 × 7″ (26 × 18 cm) 
4/28/2018 · High Point Overlook, Scenic Drive, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 12 × 12″ (29 × 31 cm) 
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California · ≈ 2 × 1′ (62 × 41 cm) 
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 6 × 4½″ (15 × 12 cm) 
4/28/2018 · Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 4 × 4″ (10 × 10 cm) 
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California · ≈ 3½ × 3″ (9.5 × 7.9 cm) 
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 7 × 8″ (18 × 19 cm) 
4/28/2018 · Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm) 
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California · ≈ 7 × 6″ (16 × 14 cm) 
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California · ≈ 13 × 11″ (32 × 26 cm) 
2/26/2010 · Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, La Jolla, California · ≈ 2 × 2″ (5.7 × 5.5 cm) 
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm) 
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 15 cm) 
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California · ≈ 4 × 4″ (10 × 11 cm) 
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California · ≈ 15 × 10″ (39 × 26 cm) 
2/26/2010 · Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, La Jolla, California · ≈ 2 × 1¾″ (6 × 4.8 cm) 
4/28/2018 · High Point Overlook, Scenic Drive, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 8.7 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| 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 | Geraea | From the Greek geraios for old, for the white-haired involucre |
| Species | canescens | Covered with short gray or white hairs |
Geraea canescens description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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