Scientific Family
Asteraceae
Synonyms
Aster tagetinus
Other common names
mesa tansy-aster
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Biennial or annual
Similar species
Machaeranthera tanacetifolia
Height
5 to 20 inches
Riparian
Yes
Taprooted annual or possibly biennial under favorable conditions. Stems slender, moderately branched, hairy, may or may not have gland tipped hairs, slightly ash gray.
Annual with slender hairy and glandular herbage. Lower leaves pinnatifid, spine-tipped; upper leaves smaller with toothed margins. Flower head bracts taper to a point on both ends, tips erect, not narrower than their base. Achenes are bristle-tipped.
Habitat
Found on arid mesas, grasslands, creosote bush dominated desert scrub, pine-oak woodlands, roadsides, stream beds.
Plant Community
Riparian
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Disturbed Areas
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
0
High elevation
4500
Flower Characteristics
Purple with yellow centers, purple ray flowers 8 to 16, yellow disc flowers 14 to 40. Below the flower head are 24 to 44 narrow bracts in 3 to 5 series.
Flower color
Purple
Flower shape
Daisy or dandelion-like
Tubular
No
First bloom month
March
Last bloom month
October
Flower clusters
None
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Lower leaves with 3 to 7 spine-tipped lobes. Upper leaves smaller with toothed margins. Leaves and stems are very hairy and glandular.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Grayish-green
Leaf shape
Pinnatifid
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaves clasp
Yes
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
Yes
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Achenes are slender, covered with silky hairs and bear bristles at the top.
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit color
Brown