Eryngium armatum
Eryngium armatum, known by the common names coastal eryngo and prickly coyote thistle, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae.
| Eryngium armatum | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Apiaceae |
| Genus: | Eryngium |
| Species: | E. armatum |
| Binomial name | |
| Eryngium armatum | |
It is endemic to the coastline of northern and central California, where it grows along beaches and coastal bluffs. Many populations are in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Description
Eryngium armatum is a low perennial herb growing patches of thick green to yellow-green leaves, each long and straight, sometimes with serrated or toothed edges.
Atop stout stems are inflorescences of spiky flower heads each nearly a centimeter wide. Each is surrounded by seven or eight long, sharp-pointed bracts about two centimeters long, and sometimes more layers of bractlets on top. The tiny white to purplish flowers are tucked between the layers of bracts.
External links
- Calflora Database: Eryngium armatum (Coastal eryngo, Coyote thistle, Prickly coyote thistle)
- Jepson eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Eryngium armatum
- USDA Plants Profile
- UC CalPhotos gallery of Eryngium armatum
