Artemisia bigelovii

Species of flowering plant

Artemisia bigelovii
Conservation status

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Artemisia
Species:
A. bigelovii
Binomial name
Artemisia bigelovii
A.Gray
Synonyms[2]
  • Artemisia petrophila Wooton & Standl.
  • Seriphidium bigelowii (A.Gray) K.Bremer & Humphries, alternate spelling
  • Seriphidium bigelovii (A.Gray) K.Bremer & Humphries
  • Artemisia bigelowii A.Gray, alternate spelling[1]

Artemisia bigelovii is a North American species of sagebrush known by the common name Bigelow sagebrush or flat sagebrush.[3] It grows in the deserts of the southwestern United States.[4]

Distribution

It is native to California (Inyo + San Bernardino Counties),[3] Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.[5] It grows in desert, basin, grassland, and juniper woodland habitats. It is very drought-tolerant and lives in arid regions on sandy and limestone-rich soils.[6]

Description

Artemisia bigelovii is a shrub growing from a woody base and reaching a maximum height around 50 cm (20 inches). It has many slender, curving branches with shredding bark and is generally in overall habit.[4]

The stem branches and leaves are coated in silvery hairs, giving the plant a gray color. The leaves are less than 3 centimeters long and may end in a point or in three distinct teeth.[4]

The inflorescence is a panicle of flower heads containing yellowish disc florets and occasionally a small ray floret. The fruit is a tiny achene about a millimeter long.[4]

Uses

This species of sagebrush is good winter fodder for grazing animals and it is cultivated as plant cover on recovering rangeland and for erosion control.[6]

References

  1. ^ International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Melbourne Code) see section 60.7, example 15
  2. ^ The Plant List Artemisia bigelovii A.Gray
  3. ^ a b Calflora taxon report, University of California, Artemisia bigelovii A. Gray Bigelow sagebrush, Flat sagebrush
  4. ^ a b c d Flora of North America Vol. 19, 20 and 21 Page 512 Bigelow sagebrush Artemisia bigelovii A. Gray in War Department [U.S.], Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 110. 1857.
  5. ^ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  6. ^ a b Forest Service Fire Ecology

External links

  • Jepson Manual Treatment
  • Artemisia bigelovii in the CalPhotos photo database, University of California, Berkeley
  • Southwest Colorado Wildflowers
  • SEINet Arizona Chapter, Artemisia bigelovii A. Gray
  • United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Arches National Park, Bigelow's Sagebrush (Bigelow's Sage; Big Basin Sagebrush)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Artemisia bigelovii.
Taxon identifiers
Artemisia bigelovii