Deinandra fasciculata


Deinandra fasciculata , known by the common names clustered tarweed and fascicled spikeweed, is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family native to western North America.

Range

Deinandra fasciculata is native to Baja California and California. It is a common member of coastal grassland habitats in the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion and other habitats.

Description

Deinandra fasciculata is a thin-stemmed branched annual herb growing erect up to 100 cm in height. The upper leaves are narrow, about 1 centimeter long nested against the stem. The lower leaves are much bigger, up to 15 centimeters long.
Each flower head has a center of six yellowish disc florets with black stamens surrounded by five yellow ray florets. The ray florets generally have three teeth, the central tooth being the smallest. Plants flower in May through October.
In this genus the disk flowers are actually big enough to be seen as tiny flowers to the naked eye.
The plant has a tar-like smell.

Ecology

Deinandra fasciculata is pollinated by bees, and the seeds are primarily gravity-dispersed. Seeds may also be dispersed by the many bird and small mammal species which eat them.
This species may hybridize with other members of its genus, as well as with Hemizonia and Centromadia species.