Encelia actoni
Encyclopedia
Encelia actoni is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common name Acton brittlebush, or Acton encelia. It was named for Acton, California
, and is sometimes misspelled E. actonii. It is native to the southwestern United States and Baja California
, where it grows in several types of open habitat. This is a multibranched shrub
reaching 1.5 meters in height. The branches are lined with oval to roughly triangular leaves a few centimeters long, gray-green and woolly in texture. The inflorescence
is a solitary daisylike flower head
on a tall, erect peduncle
. The head has a center of many yellow disc florets surrounded by up to 25 yellow ray florets. The fruit is an achene
about half a centimeter long usually lacking a pappus
.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common name Acton brittlebush, or Acton encelia. It was named for Acton, California
Acton, California
Acton was founded in 1887 by gold miners who were working in the Red Rover Mine. It was named after Acton, Massachusetts by one of the miners. Two of the best-known gold mines located in Acton were the Red Rover mine and the Governors mine. Mining of gold, copper, and titanium ore continued into...
, and is sometimes misspelled E. actonii. It is native to the southwestern United States and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, where it grows in several types of open habitat. This is a multibranched shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
reaching 1.5 meters in height. The branches are lined with oval to roughly triangular leaves a few centimeters long, gray-green and woolly in texture. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a solitary daisylike flower head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
on a tall, erect peduncle
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
. The head has a center of many yellow disc florets surrounded by up to 25 yellow ray florets. The fruit is an achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
about half a centimeter long usually lacking a pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
.