Family: Asteraceae
Author: Harv. & Gray
Bibliography: Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, ser. 2, 4: 62 (1849)
Year: 1849
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Pectis
Vegetable: False
Observations: SW. U.S.A. to New Mexico and Mexico
Description
Cinchweed, scientifically known as Pectis papposa, is a distinctive plant species within the diverse and widespread family Asteraceae. This annual herb is particularly notable for its adaptability and resilience, thriving across a broad swath of the American Southwest, extending from the southwestern United States to New Mexico and into Mexico.
This plant was formally described in 1849 by the botanists Harv. & Gray, as recorded in their publication in “Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts.” As characteristic of many members of the Asteraceae family, Cinchweed exhibits composite flowers, where what appears to be a single blossom is actually a cluster of smaller flowers, or florets. This adaptation is often beneficial in attracting pollinators.
Cinchweed’s ability to prosper in arid and semi-arid environments is of particular ecological interest. Its growth is commonly observed in sandy or well-drained soils where water is scarce, enabling it to serve as a valuable species for studying plant survival mechanisms under drought conditions. Moreover, its spread across a variety of habitats within its range demonstrates its ecological flexibility and potential role in plant succession processes in disturbed areas.
The plant’s physical characteristics include narrow, linear leaves and small, yellow flowers that cluster at the ends of stems. These flowers typically bloom in the late summer to early fall, contributing to the landscape’s biodiversity during a time when many other species are dormant or have completed their flowering cycles.
Cinchweed’s presence is also significant culturally and historically, as indigenous peoples and early settlers in these regions may have utilized it for various purposes, including traditional medicinal uses that harness its bioactive compounds. However, detailed ethnobotanical uses would require further historical and cultural study.
Given its range and adaptability, Cinchweed represents an important subject for ecological and botanical research, contributing to our understanding of plant resilience and adaptation in challenging environments.
Common Names
Eng: cinchweed, cinchweed fetidmarigold, common chinchweed, many-bristle chinchweed, manybristle chinchweed, manybristle cinchweed
En: Cinchweed, Cinchweed fetidmarigold, Common chinchweed, Many-bristle chinchweed, Manybristle chinchweed, Manybristle cinchweed
Synonyms
- Pectis papposa var. epapposa (A.Gray)
Distribution
- Arizona (native)
- California (native)
- Mexico Northeast (native)
- Mexico Northwest (native)
- Nevada (native)
- New Mexico (native)
- Texas (native)
- Utah (native)
Additional Images
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Flower
Taken Jun 7, 2022 by Martin Bishop (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5405480)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:236667-1)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Pectis papposa Harv. & A.Gray)
Specifications
Growth habit>: Forb/herb
