bio.wikisort.org - Plant

Chaenactis xantiana, the Mojave pincushion or Xantus pincushion,[2] is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the western United States, from southeastern Oregon, Nevada, southern and eastern California and northwestern Arizona.[3] It is very common in the Antelope Valley in the Mojave Desert, and grows in sandy soils.[4][2]

Chaenactis xantiana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Chaenactis
Species:	C. xantiana
Binomial name
Chaenactis xantiana A.Gray
Synonyms[1]
Chaenactis floribunda Greene

Description

Chaenactis xantiana is an annual plant growing to 50 cm tall. The leaves are somewhat succulent, 3–7 cm long and 3–4 mm broad, in a basal rosette on the young plants which wither away during flowering, and spirally arranged leaves on the flowering stem; they are green, finely flecked with white scales giving an overall grayish color to the plant.[5][6]

The Mojave pincushion flowers are produced in a capitulum 3–6 cm diameter, and are white.[5]

It is similar to Chaenactis stevioides (Esteve pincushion).

The species is named for Hungarian-American ichthyologist John Xantus (1825-1894).[6]

References

External links

• Calflora Database: Chaenactis xantiana (Fleshcolor pincushion, Xantus pincushion, Xantus' chaenactis)
• Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Chaenactis xantiana
• USDA Plants Profile for Chaenactis xantiana (fleshcolor pincushion)
• Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains— photo of Chaenactis xantiana
• U.C. Photos gallery of Chaenactis xantiana
• Media related to Chaenactis xantiana at Wikimedia Commons

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