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The genus Gaillardia was published in 1788 by French plant physiologist, archaeologist, and naturalist Auguste Denis Fougeroux de Bondaroy to honor French magistrate and naturalist, Antoine René Gaillard de Charentonneau who, with Fougeroux de Bondaroy, was a member of the Académie Royale des Sciences. Fougeroux de Bondaroy eventually became director of the Academy. (Click for more biographical information about Gaillard de Charentonneau.) |
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Gaillardia aristata
(Blanketflower) Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Foothills, montane. Openings. Summer. This Blanketflower has flowers to three inches in diameter, and very hairy, light green, elongated leaves. Gaillardia aristata seeds itself readily, re-grows from old root stock, and flowers from June through September making it very nice in flower gardens. On July 7, 1806 Meriwether Lewis collected the first specimens of this species for science on what is now the Lewis and Clark Pass in Montana. The plant was named by Frederick Pursh in his Flora Americae Septentrionalis in 1814. "Aristata" is Latin for "awn" and refers to the shape of the pappus. |
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Gaillardia aristata (Blanketflower) Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Foothills, montane. Openings. Summer. June 14,
2004. |
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Gaillardia
pinnatifida(Cut-leaf Blanketflower, Hopi Blanketflower) Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Desert, semi-desert. Openings. Spring and early
summer. The eye-catching combination of burnt red and bright yellow make this an easy flower to spot. This and the above species of Gaillardia spread readily from seed and large areas along roads and in sandy soils can be lined or dotted with their bright flowers. Since Blanketflowers reproduce so readily, the seeds of several species are often included in western wildflower mixes. Flower stems of the pictured species are long and lanky and flowers bob and sway in the wind. Edwin James collected the first specimen of this species for science on the Long Expedition of 1819-1820 and the plant was named by John Torrey in 1827. "Pinnatifida" is Latin for "almost pinnately lobed leaves", i.e., the leaf margins are cut nearly to the central vein, thus the leaf is divided into leaflets (see below). |
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Gaillardia
pinnatifida (Cut-leaf Blanketflower, Hopi Blanketflower) Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Desert, semi-desert. Openings. Spring and early
summer. Basal and stem leaves are deeply incised, but not all the way to the central vein, i.e., they are "pinnatifid", not "pinnate". |
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Gaillardia
pinnatifida (Cut-leaf Blanketflower, Hopi Blanketflower) Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Desert, semi-desert. Openings. Spring and early
summer. It is common for Gaillardia pinnatifida outer yellow ray flowers to be three lobed, but even without the ray flowers, the flower head is entrancing. |
Range map © John Kartesz,
County Color Key
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Range map for Gaillardia aristata Range map for Gaillardia pinnatifida |