Scientific Family
Asteraceae
Synonyms
Crassina pumila, Diplothrix acerosa , Zinnia pumila
Other common names
white zinnia
spinyleaf zinnia
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
4 to 10 inches
Riparian
No
Low, much branched, rounded or flat-topped subshrub, to 10 inches tall; branches slender ash-colored due to hairs; bark irregularly scaly & grayish; leaves numerous, narrow; ray flowers white to very pale yellow, green-veined below, disc flowers yellow.
Short, mound-forming subshrub, may be covered by white flower heads; leaf blades 1-nerved, narrow; flower heads on to 1-1/2 inches long stalks; ray flowers 5 to 7, usually white, can be faintly yellow, strongly green-veined beneath; disc flowers yellow.
Habitat
Dry slopes and flats and sometimes on calcareous soils.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
2500
High elevation
5000
Flower Characteristics
Ray flowers 4 to 7; corollas usually white, sometimes pale yellow, rounded, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, strongly green veined beneath, remain on stems after bloom, strongly reflexed in fruit; disc flowers 8 to 13, yellow or tinged with purple (drying reddish).
Flower color
White ray, yellow to pale yellow disc flowers
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
April
Last bloom month
October
Flower clusters
None
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Stems very hairy; leaves narrow to lance-like, often narrow, long and pointed like pine leaves, numerous, often longer than internodes, to 3/4 inch long, 1-veined, hairy, dotted with golden glands interspersed among hairs.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Grayish-green to green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
3-angled (ray) or compressed (disc), ribbed, hairy; topped usually with 1 to 3 unequal awns, sometimes reduced to teeth.
Fruit type
Achene