Orochaenactis
Encyclopedia
Orochaenactis is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the daisy family
containing the single species Orochaenactis thysanocarpha, which is known by the common name California mountain pincushion. It is endemic to the southern Sierra Nevada of California
, where it grows in the forests and meadows of the high mountains.
The inflorescence
is a small flower head
lined with purple phyllaries
nested in a cluster of leaflike bracts. The head contains several yellow disc florets. The fruit is a ribbed achene
tipped with a pappus
of fringelike scales, the fruit around half a centimeter long in total.
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...
containing the single species Orochaenactis thysanocarpha, which is known by the common name California mountain pincushion. It is endemic to the southern Sierra Nevada of 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...
, where it grows in the forests and meadows of the high mountains.
Description
Orochaenactis thysanocarpha is an annual herb producing a slender, often branching stem up to about 25 centimeters tall. It is coated thinly to densely in hairs, often glandular. The narrow leaves are generally linear in shape and up to 4 centimeters long.The 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...
is a small flower head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
lined with purple phyllaries
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
nested in a cluster of leaflike bracts. The head contains several yellow disc florets. The fruit is a ribbed achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
tipped with a pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
of fringelike scales, the fruit around half a centimeter long in total.