Gaillardia In My Tucson Garden

Gaillardia

Genus of flowering plants

For the fictional British island colony, see Carlton-Browne of the F.O.

Gaillardia /ɡeɪˈlɑːrdiə/ (common name blanket flower) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to North and South America. It was named after Maître Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th-century French magistrate who was an enthusiastic botanist. The common name may refer to the resemblance of the inflorescence to the brightly patterned blankets made by Native Americans, or to the ability of wild taxa to blanket the ground with colonies. Many cultivars have been bred for ornamental use.

 

Quick Facts Scientific classification, Synonyms ...

Description

 

Cultivated Gaillardia in Gahkuch, Pakistan.

These are annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs, sometimes with rhizomes. The stem is usually branching and erect to a maximum height around 80 centimeters (31.5 inches). The leaves are alternately arranged. Some taxa have only basal leaves. They vary in shape. They are glandular in most species. The inflorescence is a solitary flower head. The head can have 15 or more ray florets, while some taxa lack any ray florets. They can be almost any shade of yellow, orange, red, purplish, brown, white, or bicolored. They are sometimes rolled into a funnel shape. There are many tubular disc florets at the center of the head in a similar range of colors, and usually tipped with hairs. The fruit usually has a pappus of scales.

 

Ecology

Gaillardia species are used as food plants by the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera species, including Schinia bina (which has been recorded on G. pulchella), Schinia masoni (which feeds exclusively on G. aristata) and Schinia volupia (which feeds exclusively on G. pulchella).

 

 

red dome blanketflower (Gaillardia pinnatifida)

 

Gaillardia 'Fanfare'

Symbolism

It is the official flower of Wallonia.

The school colors of Texas State University are maroon and old gold, a combination inspired by the gaillardia.

 

Species

Species include:

 

Gaillardia aestivalis (Walter) H.Rock – lanceleaf blanketflower southeastern USA

Gaillardia amblyodon J.Gay – maroon blanketflower - Texas

Gaillardia aristata Pursh – common gaillardia - Canada, northern + western USA

Gaillardia arizonica A.Gray – Arizona blanketflower - Sonora, southwestern USA

Gaillardia cabrerae (Lihue Calel, Argentina)

Gaillardia coahuilensis B.L.Turner – bandanna daisy - Coahuila, Texas

Gaillardia comosa A.Gray - northern Mexico

Gaillardia doniana (Hook. & Arn.) Griseb. - Argentina

Gaillardia gypsophila B.L.Turner - Coahuila

Gaillardia henricksonii B.L.Turner - Coahuila

Gaillardia megapotamica (Spreng.) Baker - Argentina – boton de oro

Gaillardia megapotamica var. radiata (San Luis, Argentina)

Gaillardia megapotamica var. scabiosoides

Gaillardia mexicana A.Gray - northeastern Mexico

Gaillardia multiceps Greene – onion blanketflower - Arizona, Texas, New Mexico

Gaillardia parryi Greene – Parry's blanketflower - Utah, Arizona

Gaillardia pinnatifida Torr. – red dome blanketflower - northern Mexico, western USA

Gaillardia powellii B.L.Turner - Coahuila

Gaillardia pulchella Foug. – firewheel - southern + central USA, central Canada, northern Mexico

Gaillardia serotina (Walter) H. Rock - southeastern USA

Gaillardia spathulata A.Gray – western blanketflower - Utah, Colorado

Gaillardia suavis (A.Gray & Engelm.) Britton & Rusby – perfumeballs - northeastern Mexico, south-central USA

Gaillardia tontalensis (San Juan Province, Argentina)

Gaillardia turneri Averett & A.M.Powell - Chihuahua

Hybrids

Gaillardia × grandiflora hort. ex Van Houtte [G. aristata × G. pulchella]

Formerly placed here

Helenium amarum (Raf.) H.Rock var. amarum (as G. amara Raf.)

Tetraneuris acaulis (Pursh) Greene var. acaulis (as G. acaulis Pursh)

Gallery

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