Alkali Goldenbush
Isocoma acradenia
Drawn from live specimen. An achene and composite flower head
are show enlarged at right. The insect is a predaceous Reduviidae bug.
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RANGE: Most
common in northern and northwest portions of the Sonoran Desert and hence into
California esp, on calcareous/alkaline soils.
LEAVES: Oblong or spatulate leaves are narrow but widen towards
tip.
SEEDS: The achene seeds have a series of fine bristles.
SHRUB: A weakly woody perennial subshrub mostly about a meter + tall.
FLOWERS: The tubular disc flowers are yellow, but there are no ray
flowers. The phyllaries (leafy bracts surrounding flower heads) have the
tips conspicuously darker green. Blooming in late summer to mid
autumn. Resembles goldenrod of higher/wetter elevations. Highly
attractive to insects.
UNARMED.
Photo by Mike Plagens hosted at
Wikipedia where you can also find more images of composites.