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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:

Geraea canescens on SEINet—the Southwest Environmental Information Network

Geraea canescens on CalPhotos

Geraea canescens on Wikipedia

Geraea canescens at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Geraea canescens at George and Audrey DeLange's Arizona wildflower site

Geraea canescens at the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association

Geraea canescens on eFloras

Geraea canescens from 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 × 10.0 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 × 10 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...