Arctomecon Californica, Las Vegas Bearpoppy
Plants > Wildflowers > Papaveraceae > Arctomecon Californica
Common name:
Las vegas bearpoppy
Family:
Scientific name:
Arctomecon californica
Main flower color:
Range:
The Mojave Desert, in the vicinity of Lake Mead
Height:
Up to 2 feet
Habitat:
Barren flats and slopes, on alkaline soils, often containing gypsum or lithium salts
Leaves:
Bluish-green, spatulate, shallowly to deeply lobed, covered by long white hairs
Season:
April to May
Arctomecon californica is distinctive even when not in flower, owing to its large, grey-blue leaves, which are covered by long white hairs, and divided at the tip into between three and seven lobes. This is an uncommon species with limited distribution, found mostly along the barren slopes surrounding Lake Mead, in Arizona and Nevada, plus a single population in Washington County, southwest Utah.
The yellow flowers, between three and 20, are held some way above the leaves, on branched stalks which are mostly hairless, sometimes long-hairy at the base. Each stalk division is subtended by one or two bracts. Flowers have six petals, up to 1.7 inches long, around a ring of many short yellow stamens and a multi-chambered carpel.
The yellow flowers, between three and 20, are held some way above the leaves, on branched stalks which are mostly hairless, sometimes long-hairy at the base. Each stalk division is subtended by one or two bracts. Flowers have six petals, up to 1.7 inches long, around a ring of many short yellow stamens and a multi-chambered carpel.
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