Photo © Al Schneider, www.swcoloradowildflowers.com

NPS Photo by Lee Ferguson


NPS Photo

NPS Photo by Lee Ferguson

Photo © Al Schneider, www.swcoloradowildflowers.com

NPS Photo

NPS Photo by Lee Ferguson

Thrifty Goldenweed (Ring Grass)

Haplopappus armerioides var. armerioides

Synonym: Stenotus armerioides

Family: Asteraceae (A Utah Flora – Compositae) – Sunflower Family

Perennial herbs; stems 0.2” to 8” (0.5 to 20 cm) tall

Leaves: mainly basal and alternate reduced leaves upwards; simple; entire or merely toothed to sometimes cleft or even bipinnatifid; has hairs; basal leaves are 0.6” to 3.2” (1.5 to 8 cm) long, 0.06” to 0.4” (1.5 to 10 mm) wide

Flowers: 8 to 13 yellow ray flowers 0.4” to 0.6” (10 to 15 mm) long, 0.12” to 0.2” (3 to 5 mm) wide; 15 to 30 yellow to dark brown disk flowers, 0.28” to 0.36” (7 to 9 mm) long; flower head appears to be a single flower, but is composed of several flowers (a composite).

Pollinators: other Haplopappus species are pollinated by insects

Fruits: achene – 1 seeded with hard shell

Blooms in Arches National Park: April, May, June, July, August

Habitat in Arches National Park: desert shrub and pinyon-juniper communities

Location seen: park road mile 15.6, Windows primitive trail, Fiery Furnace

Other: The genus name, “Haplopappus”, is from the Greek “haploos” which means “simple” and “pappos” which means “down, fluff” referring to the single pappus ring. The species and variety name, “armerioides”, is Latinized from the old French name "armoires” which means a “cluster-headed dianthus”. The genus name, “Stenotus” is from the Greek meaning “narrow ear”.

This plant grows and expands outward in a ring with the center part being the oldest. Often, the center of the ring can be dead.*

*Information from Al Schneider, www.swcoloradowildflowers.com.

This family is the most advanced and complex of the dicots. The family is rich in oils and resins and is found in every part of the world, but is infrequent in the tropical rainforest. Aquatic or semi-aquatic species are also uncommon.