| Layia platyglossa | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Layia |
| Species: | L. platyglossa |
| Binomial name | |
| Layia platyglossa | |
Layia platyglossa, commonly called coastal tidytips, [1] is an annual wildflower of the family Asteraceae, native to western North America.
Tidytips was formerly found throughout low-elevation dry habitats in California including the Mojave Desert and into Arizona and Utah. [1] In pre-European times this plant was common in solid stands at lower elevations. Found in grassy valley floors, slopes of hills, openings in coastal sage scrub and chaparral, coastal plains, and in the High Desert. A member of Spring wildflower 'displays,' blooming March to June.
This species is also found in Mexico, in the state of Baja California. It can be commonly found from Tijuana south to the Sierra de La Asamblea in the central part of the state. It is also found on Guadalupe Island in the Pacific Ocean. [2]
Layia platyglossa is an annual, glandular, daisy like plant with narrow, rough hairy leaves. The height of the entire plant is less than 1 foot (0.30 m), roughly around 4–12 inches (10–30 cm) wide. The roots are usually taproots, sometimes fibrous. [3] [4]
The leaves at the upper part of the stem are short and have a pilous texture. The leaves at the basal part of the stem can be dentate to pinnate shaped with rotund short lobes. The lower leaves are generally lobed and the upper leaves are entire. Leaves usually alternate or opposite, and the blades are usually simple, rarely compound. [3]
The plant is an indeterminate zygomorphic inflorescent, individual heads are borne on a peduncle. The stems are usually erect, prostrate or decumbent to ascending, and are stout and corymbed branched. [3]
The flower heads are composed of five to eighteen yellow ray flowers with white tips and many central yellow disk flowers. Its outer ray flowers are bright golden yellow with distinct, sharp-margined white tips. The bracts tips are rounded and involucre 6–12 mm high. The corolla is 4–6 mm long. The ray flowers are 3–3.8 mm long and the disk flowers are 2.8–5 mm long. The ligules are 6–15 mm long and 5–10 mm wide. The florets are bisexual, pistillate, functionally staminate or neuter. The sepals are highly modified. [3]
Pollination is done by insects. The fruits are usually dry with thick, tough pericarps, sometimes rostrate and/or winged. Dispersion is done by the help from pappi (dispersal of fruit by wind). Seeds are one per fruit, embryos straight. [3]
Layia platyglossa is cultivated as an ornamental plant. [5] It is often an ingredient in commercial wildflower seed mixes. The daisy-like flowers are attractive, making it a popular annual flower in traditional gardens, wildlife gardens, and habitat gardens. [6] [7]
The wildflower is used in habitat restoration projects, and is a pollinator supportive plant. The ripe seeds are a food source for birds. [6]
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Platystemon is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the poppy family containing the single species Platystemon californicus, which is known by the common name creamcups. It is native to Oregon, California, Arizona, Utah and Baja California, and is found in open grasslands and sandy soils below 6,000 feet (1,800 m) elevation.
Vachellia constricta, also known commonly as the whitethorn acacia, is a shrub native to Mexico and the Southwestern United States, with a disjunct eastern population in Virginia and Maryland.
Lupinus bicolor is a species of lupine known as the miniature lupine, Lindley's annual lupine, pigmy-leaved lupine, or bicolor lupine.
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Layia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae known generally as tidy tips, native to western North America. Several are California endemics.
Layia carnosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name beach tidytips, or beach layia. It is endemic to California, where it lives in beach habitat. It is known from several areas of mostly fragmented coastal habitat, and it was listed as an endangered species in California. On March 31, 2022, the category was changed from endangered species to threatened species by the US Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service.
Layia chrysanthemoides is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name smooth tidytips, or smooth layia.
Layia discoidea is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name rayless tidytips, or rayless layia.
Layia fremontii is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Frémont's tidytips. Both its common name, and its specific epithet are derived from John C. Frémont.
Layia gaillardioides is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name woodland tidytips.
Layia glandulosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names whitedaisy tidytips and white layia. It is native to western North America south from central Washington (state) to Baja California and east to Utah and Arizona, where it is common in a number of habitat types.
Layia jonesii is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Jones' tidytips, or Jones' layia.
Layia leucopappa is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Comanche Point tidytips, or Comanche Point layia.
Layia munzii is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Munz's tidytips, or Munz's layia.
Layia pentachaeta is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Sierra tidytips, or Sierra layia.
Encelia actoni, also known by the common names Acton brittlebush and Acton encelia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae.
Deinandra fasciculata, known by the common names clustered tarweed and fascicled spikeweed, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to western North America.