Gutierrezia californica
Encyclopedia
Gutierrezia californica is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common names San Joaquin snakeweed and California matchweed. It is native to California
and Baja California
, where it grows on slopes and plains in a number of habitats.
This is a small subshrub reaching up to about half a meter in height. It grows clumpy or gangly and generally erect stems in shades of gray and red which are lined with small linear green leaves.
At the end of each branch of the stem is an inflorescence
of one to three small flower heads
just a few millimeters wide. The head contains several yellow disc florets with long, protruding styles
and several yellow ray florets around the edge.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common names San Joaquin snakeweed and California matchweed. It is native to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, where it grows on slopes and plains in a number of habitats.
This is a small subshrub reaching up to about half a meter in height. It grows clumpy or gangly and generally erect stems in shades of gray and red which are lined with small linear green leaves.
At the end of each branch of the stem is an inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
of one to three small flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
just a few millimeters wide. The head contains several yellow disc florets with long, protruding styles
Gynoecium
Gynoecium is most commonly used as a collective term for all carpels in a flower. A carpel is the ovule and seed producing reproductive organ in flowering plants. Carpels are derived from ovule-bearing leaves which evolved to form a closed structure containing the ovules...
and several yellow ray florets around the edge.