National Park Utah
Asteraceae Conyza canadensis
Conyza canadensis var. glabrata
Family: Asteraceae (A Utah Flora – Compositae) – Sunflower Family
Annual herbs from taproots with watery juice; 2' to 4.3' (0.5 to 13 dm) tall
Leaves: alternate; simple; 0.8" to 4" (2 to 10 cm) long, 0.8" to 3.2" (2 to 8 cm) wide
Flowers: white or purplish small ray flowers and yellow disk flowers; ray flowers 0.02" to 0.04" (0.5 to 1 mm) long; 8 to 21 disk flowers, perfect, fertile, about 0.004" (0.1 mm) long; flower head appears to be a single flower, but is composed of several flowers (a composite). 25 to 40 female (pistillate) flowers
Pollinators: bees and flies
Fruits: achene – 1 seeded with hard shell
Blooms in Arches National Park: August, September
Habitat in Arches National Park: weed in riparian and moist disturbed areas
Location seen: widespread
Other: The genus name, "Conyza", is from the Greek "konops" meaning "flea", used by Pliny (an author and natural philosopher) as a name for a fleabane. The species name, "canadensis", means "of or from Canada and North America" and refers to its distribution. The variety name, "glabrata", means "somewhat glabrous (without hairs or smooth)".
This family is the most advanced and complex of the dicots. The family is rich in oils and resins and is found in every part of the world, but is infrequent in the tropical rainforest. Aquatic or semi-aquatic species are also uncommon.
Moab, UT 84532