Kingdom Plantae Tribe Heliantheae Scientific name Chaenactis xantiana Rank Species | Order Asterales Genus Chaenactis Higher classification Chaenactis | |
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Similar Chaenactis, Daisy family, Chaenactis stevioides, Chaenactis fremontii, Chaenactis carphoclinia | ||
Chaenactis xantiana, the Mojave pincushion or Xantus pincushion, 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. It is very common in the Antelope Valley in the Mojave Desert, and grows in sandy soils.
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.
The Mojave pincushion flowers are produced in a capitulum 3-6 cm diameter, and are white.
It is similar to Chaenactis stevioides (Esteve pincushion).
The species is named for Hungarian-American ichthyologist John Xantus (1825-1894).