Nicolletia occidentalis
Encyclopedia
Nicolletia occidentalis is a flowering plant in the marigold tribe
of the daisy family
which is known by the common name Mojave hole-in-the-sand plant. This flower is native to California, especially the Mojave Desert
, and northern Baja California
. This is a desert-adapted perennial herb with a skeletonlike appearance. The narrow, fleshy leaves each end in a bristle and have large oil glands which exude a strong unpleasant scent. The plant grows from a deep taproot in the desert sand and the stem is sometimes surrounded by a depression in the sand, a trait that gives it its common name. This plant bears showy flowers with curving bright pink ray florets
and yellow centers.
Tageteae
Tageteae is a tribe of the plant family Asteraceae. It consists of approximately 216 species divided among 28 genera. All are found in the New World, with a center of diversity in the Mexican highlands. The type genus is Tagetes ....
of 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...
which is known by the common name Mojave hole-in-the-sand plant. This flower is native to California, especially the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
, and northern 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...
. This is a desert-adapted perennial herb with a skeletonlike appearance. The narrow, fleshy leaves each end in a bristle and have large oil glands which exude a strong unpleasant scent. The plant grows from a deep taproot in the desert sand and the stem is sometimes surrounded by a depression in the sand, a trait that gives it its common name. This plant bears showy flowers with curving bright pink ray florets
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
and yellow centers.