Pericome
Encyclopedia
Pericome is a small genus
of flowering plants in the daisy family
. There are two species. Pericome caudata
is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is relatively common. The second species, Pericome macrocephala, is known only from Durango
in Mexico
at its type locality.
These are branching perennial herbs or small shrub
s often exceeding one meter tall. They bear clusters of flower heads
with golden disc florets.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of flowering plants in the daisy family
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...
. There are two species. Pericome caudata
Pericome caudata
Pericome caudata is species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name mountain tail-leaf. It is native to the southwestern United States as far east as Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas, as well as northern Mexico, where it grows in rocky habitat, often in hills and mountains, and...
is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is relatively common. The second species, Pericome macrocephala, is known only from Durango
Durango
Durango officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
at its type locality.
These are branching perennial herbs or small shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s often exceeding one meter tall. They bear clusters of flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
with golden disc florets.