Southwest Colorado Wildflowers, Townsendia

The genus Townsendia was named by William Jackson Hooker in 1833 for David Townsend of West Chester, Pennsylvania. Townsend was a banker active in civic affairs and he was a very talented amateur botanist. (More biographical information.)

Click for more photographs of the Townsendia shown on this page.

And click for Townsendia rothrockii.

And click for Townsendia leptotes.

Townsendia incana (Easter Daisy)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands, openings. Spring.
Top of Yellow Jacket Canyon, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, April 4, 2007.

The rose-purple tinge of the phyllaries is sometimes not present and at other times is even more extensive and obvious than shown in this photo, but other Townsendia can also have this coloring. The hairiness of the phyllaries and tufts of hair at their tips can be a distinguishing factor among the Townsendia species, but, again, these characteristics vary and are shared by a number of Townsendia. This photograph shows three different length phyllaries. Some Townsendia have only one rank of phyllaries, some have up to seven.

Townsendia incana (Easter Daisy)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands, openings. Spring.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, May 13, 2004.

The common name "Easter Daisy" was given, we can conjecture, because someone saw the plant blooming at Easter, but its dates of blooming depend, of course, on spring rains, altitude, etc., not on the advent of Easter which varies with the coming of the full moon. This is another example of the problem with common names.

The plant is commonly found in bloom from March through June. I have also found Townsendia incana blooming in the fall and early winter, as late as December.

Townsendia incana (Easter Daisy)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands, openings. Spring.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, May 17, 2009.

Flowers have been pollinated, seeds have matured, and silvery pappus hairs are ready to carry the brown seeds on the first strong winds -- even while more flowers on the same plant are just opening.