Thursday, April 8, 2010

Desert Marigold OR Baileya multiradiata






Plant Name

Scientific Name: Baileya multiradiata

Common Name: Desert Marigold

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual, Biennial, Perennial

Growth Habit: Herb/Forb

Arizona Native Status: Native

Habitat: Desert, Upland

Flower Color: Yellow disks and rays

Flowering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall

Height: To 18 inches (46 cm) tall

Description: The flower heads are up to 2 inches (5 cm) across and have multiple, stacked layers of toothed rays. The leaves are alternate, narrowly oval in shape, and pinnately-lobed. Both the leaves and the stems are woolly and grayish in color. The very similarB. pleniradiata has smaller flower heads with fewer rays, mostly cauline (stem) leaves and only shallowly-lobed floral rays, while B. multiradiata has mostly basal leaves and distinctly lobed floral rays.

Desert Marigold wildflower seeds are available, and if given some supplemental water during dry periods, this attractive plant has an amazingly long blooming season.


Special Characteristics

Butterfly Plant – The flowers attract butterflies.

Poisonous – This plant is believed to contain Hymenoxon (a sesquiterpene lactone) and is reported to be toxic to livestock.



Classification

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass: Asteridae

Order: Asterales

Family: Asteraceae – Aster family

Genus: Baileya Harv. & A. Gray ex A. Gray – desert marigold

Species: Baileya multiradiata Harv. & A. Gray ex A. Gray – desert marigold