Also Named: Firewheel
Description Branched stems, mostly
leafy near the base, have showy flower heads with rays red at
base, tipped with
yellow, each with 3 teeth at broad end.
Flowers: head 1 1/2-2 1/2" (3.8-6.3 cm) wide;
disk reddish-maroon, dome-like, with bristly scales among the
flowers; rays 1/2-3/4" (1.3-2
cm) long.
Leaves: to 3" (7.5 cm) long, oblong, toothed or
plain on edges.
Fruit: seed-like, with tapered, white, translucent scales at
tip.
Height: 1-2' (30-60 cm).
Flower May-July.
Habitat Sandy plains and desert, common along roadsides.
Range Arizona to Texas; north to se. Colorado and Nebraska;
south into Mexico.
Discussion Frequent along roadsides in the Southwest, these
wildflowers stand like hundreds of showy Fourth of July pinwheels
at the top of slender stalks. Varieties are popular in cultivation,
for they tolerate heat and dryness. Among several species in
the Southwest, some flowers are entirely yellow.
