Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Orange Sneezeweed
Hymenoxys hoopesii
Aster family (Asteraceae)

Orange Sneezeweed is abundant in late summer and with Erigeron speciosa it puts on one of the finest flower shows. Flower heads are large, many to each plant, and many plants in each grouping. A key identifying characteristic before the flowers bloom, is the wide, white vein up the middle of the . The name, Hymenoxys, is from the Greek for "membrane" and "sharp," apparently alluding in some way to the . Thomas Hoopes, 1834-1925, was a young Chester, Pennsylvania farmer who came to Colorado for a few year fling in his early 20s.


© National Park Service (Great Sand Dunes)

Description

to 3' tall with stout stems from . Young plants often hairy, becoming with age. present at flowering time, up to 7" long, narrow, with base, thick and prominent white mid-vein runs length of leaves. Flowerheads 2-11 in clusters, 13-21 typically yellow-orange, to over 1" long, drooping with age. an .

Field Marks

Large yellow-orange flowerheads atop a thick, sturdy stem. Leaves with prominent white, thick mid-vein.

© Al Schneider

ray flowers -- The outer petals of a sunflower or daisy are ray flowers.

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.

achene -- a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. For example, a rose hip holds a few achenes.

A herb is a plant whose stems die back to the ground in the winter.

glabrate -- Almost smooth and glossy or becoming smooth and glossy with age.

montane -- inhabiting mountainous country but below timberline.

fruit -- any seed-bearing structure in flowering plants. It is formed from the ovary after flowering.

pappus -- Small scales, bristles or hairs at the top of the seed in Asteraceae. For example, dandelion parachutes. Plural: pappi.

rhizome -- root-like stems that may either grow horizontally at the soil surface or in other orientations underground.

basal leaves -- a leaf that grows lowest on the stem of a plant.

genus -- A subdivision of a botanical Family in which all members have a significant number of similar characteristics.

A clasping leaf suroundes part of all of the stem.

meadow -- Large grass and wildflower filled area with few, if any, trees.