Arizona Wild Flowers
Wildflower Pictures And Photos

Esteve's Pincushion Flower, Chaenactis stevioides

Esteve's Pincushion Flower, Chaenactis stevioides. Also called Steve's Dustymaiden. Plant Photo Taken March 21, 2009 Alamo Lake, Arizona.
Esteve's Pincushion Flower, Chaenactis stevioides. Also called Steve's Dustymaiden. Flowers Photo Taken March 21, 2009 Alamo Lake, Arizona.

Esteve's Pincushion Flower Chaenactis stevioides	Steve's Dustymaiden Leaf Chaenactis stevioides

Esteve's Pincushion Flower Chaenactis stevioides, Sunflower Family ( Compositae ) ( Asteraceae ), Esteve's Pincushion Flower. Also called Steve's Dustymaiden, Stevia Dusty-Maiden, Dusty Maiden, False Yarrow, and Desert Pincushion. Chaenactis stevioides is an annual herb, with hairy leaves and stems, each with a solitary flower head containing narrow, white, or pinkish rays; native to the Great Basin of the United States, and the southwestern deserts, extending into Mexico. its inflorescence bears several flower heads on a tall peduncle. Each flower head is lined with rigid, hairy and glandular phyllaries and filled with white, to pinkish flowers. The flowers around the edges are larger and open-faced, and the ones in the center of the head are smaller and somewhat tubular in shape. The fruit is an achene with a pappus of scales. Height: Up to about 12 inches. Spreading out to about 16 inches wide. Flowers: The flower heads are discoid, about 3/4 to 1 inch in size, made up of many individual flowers (a composite), and white, cream white, sometimes pinkish in color. Blooming Time: March to May. Leaves: 1–2-pinnate with 4-8 main lobe pairs. Finely divided to 2" long. The leaves and stems are covered with hairs. Fruits: Achene – 1 seeded with a hard shell. Elevation: 0 - 4000 Feet. Found: Great Basin of the United States and the southwestern deserts, extending into Mexico; most abundant spring wildflowers are in the higher Mojave Desert, and southern Great Basin. Habitat: In desert shrub, and pinyon-juniper communities. On sandy and gravelly areas or hillsides. Miscellaneous: Plant & Flowering Photos Taken March 21, 2009 Alamo Lake, Arizona.