Syntrichopappus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, including Baja California. It is a member of the Heliantheae alliance of the Asteraceae family. There are two species.California Desert Wildflowers, An Introduction to Families, Genera, and Species; Sia Morhardt, Emil Morhardt; p 74-5 Common names include xerasid and Frémont's gold.
The name "Syntrichopappus" derives from a Greek name: "syn" = "joined together", "tricho" = "hair", of the "pappus", which means many bristles fused at the base (however some species have no pappus).Jepson Desert Manual: Syntrichopappus, Dale E. Johnson, 2002 Ed., p 184 The common name "xerasid" derives from Greek, meaning "son of dryness".
Description Leaves Leaves are simple, alternate, sometimes with the lowest ones opposite.
Inflorescence Flower heads are solitary. There is one yellow (or white with red veins) ray flower per phyllary, with 3-lobed ligules. The yellow disk flowers are narrowly funnel shaped.
Fruits The fruits have 0 to many pappus bristles, fused at the base.
Species Syntrichopappus fremontii (yellowray Frémont's gold) is native to desert regions of the American southwest and adjacent Baja California. It is a small woolly herb just a few centimeters tall bearing flower heads with usually five toothed yellow ray florets.Jepson Manual Treatment: S. fremontiiFlora of North America: S. fremontii Syntrichopappus lemmonii (pinkray Frémont's gold) is endemic to California, where it can be found in the southern coastal mountain ranges, including the Transverse Ranges. Its flower heads contain white, red-veined ray florets with pink undersides.Jepson Manual Treatment: S. lemmoniiFlora of North America: S. lemmonii
References
External links Jepson Manual Treatment USDA Plants Profile Flora of North America Photo gallery: S. fremontii Photo gallery: S. lemmonii