Tahoka Daisy

Machaeranthera tanacetifolia

"Machaeranthera tanacetifolia" is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names tansyleaf tansyaster and Tahoka daisy.
Transyleaf aster or Machaeranthera tanacetifolia Note the two beetles on the flower head Geotagged,Machaeranthera tanacetifolia,Summer,United States,wildflower

Appearance

"M. tanacetifolia" is an annual or biennial herb growing one or more branching stems up to about 10–40 centimetres in height. The multilobed leaves are up to 5–12.5 cm long. Between May and September, an inflorescence bears one or more flower heads lined with spreading or curling, pointed phyllaries. The head has a center of many yellow disc florets and a fringe of many lavender to purple ray florets each 1 to 2 cm long. The fruit is a flat achene about 1 cm long including the pappus.

It is similar to "M. parviflora", the flower heads of which are smaller.

Distribution

It is native to Alberta, the southwestern and central United States, and northern Mexico.

Habitat

It grows in several types of habitat, including sandy open plains and deserts.

Uses

The Zuni people use an infusion of the flowers taken with other flowers for unspecified illnesses.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassEudicots
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusMachaeranthera
SpeciesM. tanacetifolia