Nicolletia occidentalis

Nicolletia occidentalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Nicolletia
Species:	N. occidentalis
Binomial name
Nicolletia occidentalis A.Gray

Nicolletia occidentalis is a flowering plant in the tribe Tageteae of the family Asteraceae which is known by the common name Mojave hole-in-the-sand plant.

This flower is native to California, especially the Mojave Desert, and northern Baja California.

Description

Nicolletia occidentalis is a desert-adapted perennial herb with a skeletonlike appearance. The narrow, fleshy leaves each end in a bristle and have large oil glands which exude a strong unpleasant scent. The plant grows from a deep taproot in the desert sand and the stem is sometimes surrounded by a depression in the sand, a trait that gives it its common name.

This plant bears showy flowers with curving bright pink ray florets and yellow centers.

External links

• Jepson Manual Treatment
• USDA Plants Profile
• Photo gallery