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Cirsium neomexicanum A. Gray

Desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle

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
GenusCirsiumFrom Greek kirsion, “a kind of thistle”
SpeciesneomexicanumOf 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

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia · ≈ 10 × 15″ (26 × 39 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)

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.


 

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2007 · Near Death Valley · By Rhonda Tatiana Schorer ID is uncertain

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2007 · Near Death Valley · By Rhonda Tatiana Schorer ID is uncertain

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

4/30/2018 · Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)

Cirsium neomexicanum (desert thistle, New Mexico thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle, Foss thistle)

5/3/2018 · Barker Dam, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)

Range:

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