Rafinesquia neomexicana – New Mexico Plumeseed

Rafinesquia neomexicana - New Mexico Plumeseed, Desert Chicory

Rafinesquia neomexicana - New Mexico Plumeseed, Desert Chicory

Plant Name

Scientific Name: Rafinesquia neomexicana

Common Names: New Mexico Plumeseed, Desert Chicory

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual

Growth Habit: Herb/Forb

Arizona Native Status: Native

Habitat: Desert

Flower Color: White to pink-tinged

Flowering Season: Spring

Height: To 20 inches (51 cm) tall

Description: The chicory-like flower heads are 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) across and have broad, square-tipped, 5-toothed rays, green, magenta, and cream-streaked bracts, and no disks. The rays are white above and reddish maroon-streaked below. The leaves are grayish green, alternate, elongated, and toothed or narrowly lobed. The stems are erect, grayish green, smooth, and hairless.

The similar California Plumeseed (Rafinesquia californica) has smaller flowers with more numerous, narrower rays, while White Tackstem (Calycoseris wrightii) has more numerous rays and tack-shaped glands on the stems and flower bases.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Asteridae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae – Aster family
Genus: Rafinesquia Nutt. – plumeseed
Species: Rafinesquia neomexicana A. Gray – New Mexico plumeseed

More About This Plant

Arizona County Distribution Map