Enceliopsis nudicaulis

Enceliopsis nudicaulis is a North American species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae known by the common name nakedstem sunray, or naked-stemmed daisy.[2]

Enceliopsis nudicaulis
Enceliopsis nudicaulis var. corrugata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Enceliopsis
Species:
E. nudicaulis
Binomial name
Enceliopsis nudicaulis
Synonyms[1]
  • Encelia nudicaulis A.Gray
  • Enceliopsis tuta A.Nelson
  • Helianthella nudicaulis (A.Gray) A.Gray

Description

E. nudicaulis is a perennial herb growing up to 45 centimeters (18 inches) tall from a woody caudex fringed with gray-green hairy leaves.[3] The leaves are oval and up to 6.5 cm (2+1⁄2 in) long and wide.[4][3]

Blooming from May to August,[3] the inflorescence is a solitary flower head atop a tall, erect peduncle. The flower head is 7.5–10 cm (3–4 in);[3] it has a base made up of three layers of densely woolly, pointed phyllaries. It has a fringe of approximately 21 yellow ray florets each 2 to 4 cm (3⁄4 to 1+1⁄2 in) long. The fruit is a hairy achene about 1 cm in length.[4]

Varieties

There are two recognized varieties of this species:[4]

  • Enceliopsis nudicaulis var. corrugata, the Ash Meadows sunray – the rarer variety, which is probably endemic to Nevada in the vicinity of Ash Meadows in the Amargosa Desert; it is federally listed as threatened.[5]
  • Enceliopsis nudicaulis var. nudicaulis – found in most of species range[6]

Distribution and habitat

Enceliopsis nudicaulis is native to the western United States: Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and California including the Inyo Mountains–White Mountains and sky islands the Mojave Desert in California.[7] It grows in desert, plateau, and montane habitats.[2]

Uses

It is sometimes used as an ornamental plant in dry areas.[3]

References
  1. The Plant List, Enceliopsis nudicaulis (A. Gray) A. Nelson
  2. Calflora taxon report, University of California, Enceliopsis nudicaulis (A. Gray) Nelson, naked stemmed daisy, nakedstem sunray
  3. Spellenberg, Richard (2001) [1979]. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region (rev ed.). Knopf. p. 370. ISBN 978-0-375-40233-3.
  4. Flora of North America, Naked-stemmed daisy, Enceliopsis nudicaulis (A. Gray) A. Nelson
  5. "Nevada Natural Heritage Program Rare Plants Fact Sheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2004-07-31. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  6. Jepson Manual: var. nudicaulis
  7. Biota of North America PRogram 2014 county distribution map
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