Kingdom Plantae Tribe Astereae Scientific name Gutierrezia elegans Rank Species | Order Asterales Genus Gutierrezia Higher classification Gutierrezia | |
Similar Gutierrezia, Daisy family, Physaria, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Eriogonum | ||
Gutierrezia elegans, the Lone Mesa snakeweed, is a species of Gutierrezia that was discovered by Peggy Lyon, a Colorado State University botanist, and Al Schneider, an amateur botanist of the Four Corners area, August 4, 2008.
They found the plant while they were putting together a list of plant species in Lone Mesa State Park. Peggy said that they would have missed noticing the plant if they were only looking for known rare plants.
They sent the specimen to Guy Nesom, a plant expert. Guy and other experts examined the plant and agreed that it was a previously undiscovered species of Gutierrezia. Tim Hogan, an employee of the University of Colorado Herbarium, said that the discovery shows us how little we know about biodiversity.
The Lone Mesa snakeweed is the sixth new plant discovered in Colorado in roughly 15 years.
For more information about Gutierrezia elegans, to read its description, and to see photos of it, go to Four Corners Wildflowers [1].