Trixis
Trixis californica
Sketched from live specimen
FLOWERS:
Heads are tall and cylindrical with one tier of
phyllaries and few additional bracts surrounding. The yellow florets
are unusual in that each are two-lipped - and one lip is enlarged and can
appear to be a 'ray flower'. Blooming mid to late spring when large panicles of
yellow flowers are quite showy.
SHRUB: Lower portions and crown woody. Remains green and leafy well into
hot season. Mostly plants are well under a half
meter tall.
LEAVES: Lance shaped leaves are dark green, abundant and have nearly
smooth margins that begin to curl under as the plant desiccates.
FRUIT: A slender, ribbed, dark
achene topped with a crown of bristles.
RANGE: A common plant in the Sonoran Desert found on wash banks and
rocky slopes mostly in the shade of desert trees. Also found in the Mojave
Desert.
UNARMED.
Asteraceae -- Sunflower Family
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More Information:
- Jepson Manual
- USDA Plant Profile
- ITIS Taxanomic Report
- Firefly Forest - Tucson
- Google Images
- Google Scholar Literature Search
A particularly attractive specimen of Trixis was found at Mesquite Wash is posted on Flickr.