Conyza coulteri  A. Gray   Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)   Native   Coulter's Conyza    Coulter's Horseweed

                                         September Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Erect annual 2-10 dm. high, glandular-pubescent and villous or hirsute throughout, the rigid very leafy stem simple below, paniculately

branched above; lvs. narrowly oblong, coarsely toothed, the lower petioled, the cauline sessile and 2-6 cm. long; heads small, numerous, the lateral clusters generally not overtopping central; peduncles 3-10 mm.; invol. 2-3 mm. high, the linear-attenuate phyllaries hirsute and glandular, the midvein +/- green, not resin-filled; ray fls. 125-250, pistillate, styles long-exserted, without ligules; disk-fls. 5-15, perfect; pappus 3-4 mm., soft, whitish.

Habitat:  Occasional in moist flats below 1000 ft.; Coastal Sage Scrub, etc.; cismontane and Imperial V.; Santa Catalina and San Clemente Ids.; Santa Cruz Id.; E. to Colo., Tex., Mex.  May-Oct.

Name:  Greek, konyza, a strong smelling plant, fleabane.  Coulteri, after Dr. Thomas Coulter (?-1843), Irish botanist who collected in Mexico for many years and in California in 1831-1832.  He was the first botanist to penetrate the Colorado Desert.  (Jaeger 307).

General:  Uncommon in the study area, having been collected only twice and this at the intersection of San Joaquin Hills Rd. with Back Bay Dr. in 1983 and not again until 1987 when several specimens were found along the path from 23rd St. to Mariners Dr. (my comments).      See C. bonariensis for notes on uses.

Text Ref:  Abrams, Vol. IV 382; Hickman, Ed. 240; Munz, Calif. Flora 1224; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 149; Roberts 10.

Photo Ref:  Sept. 2 83 # 5,7.

Identity: by R. De Ruff.  

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 160.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 9/24/02.

                                        September Photo