''Chaenactis'' is a genus of plants in the family

Asteraceae Asteraceae () is a large family (biology), family of flowering plants that consists of over 32,000 known species in over 1,900 genera within the Order (biology), order Asterales. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchi ...

which are known generally as pincushions and dustymaidens. These wildflowers are native to western

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, especially the desert southwest of the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. They are quite variable in appearance. They are generally aster-like in appearance with many disc florets in each head. There may be only disc florets, but sometimes there are also enlarged ray florets along the edges of the corolla. They may be white to yellow or pink.

Species

Species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

include:CONABIO. 2009. Catálogo taxonómico de especies de México. 1. In Capital Nat. México. CONABIO, México D.F.

References

External links

Calflora Database: ''Chaenactis'' Taxon Report
— ''with species links + images''.
Jepson Manual eFlora treatment of ''Chaenactis''

USDA Plants Profile for ''Chaenactis''

* Asteraceae genera Flora of Northwestern Mexico Flora of the Western United States Flora of California Taxa named by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle {{Asteroideae-stub