Arizona Snakecotton (Froelichia arizonica)
Description
Plants perennial; taproot en-larged, woody. Stems 1-several, ascending or decumbent, often branched distally, 3-10 dm, sericeous-tomentose with white hairs. Leaves usually crowded at base, few on stems, sessile or short-petiolate; blade lanceolate, proximal leaves 3-12 - 0.5-2.5 cm, base attenuate, apex acute or rarely obtuse, scaberulous or canescent adaxially, sericeous-tomentose with bright whitish hairs abaxially. Spikes dense, stout, flowers arranged in 3-ranked spiral; bracteoles dark, glabrous. Flowers (3.5-)4-5.5 mm; perianth lobes narrowly oblong, apex obtuse, or acutish, pubescence dense, bright white; filament lobes stramineous or darkened, blunt. Utricles narrowly or broadly winged laterally, 2.5-5.5 - 3-4.5 mm, longer than broad, wing margins irregularly dentate, 1 or both surfaces of perianth with 1 or more basal tubercles or spines. Flowering year-round. Open rocky or gravelly hillsides; 700-2200 m; Ariz., N.Mex., Tex.; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Le-n).
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Caryophyllales
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Family: Amaranthaceae
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Genus: Froelichia
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