Foothills. Fields, openings. Summer, fall.
Near Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, October 11, 2007.

This alien annual, common in the Southwest, grows from three to forty inches tall from a strong taproot.  Basal leaves are absent at flowering time; hairs abound on stem, leaves, and base of flower; petals are notched on their tips; and seeds are distinctively encircled with white wings.  The plant has a pleasant smell.

In 1794 Antonio Jose Cavanilles (1745-1804) named the Ximenesia genus and the Ximenesia encelioides species.  In 1876 George Bentham and Joseph Dalton Hooker renamed the species Verbesina encelioides. 

Jose Ximenes was, according to Weber, a "Castilian Pharmacist and botanical illustrator".  "Encelioides" means "similar to the genus Encelia", and "verbesina" means similar to the genus "Verbena".

Foothills. Fields, openings. Summer, fall.
Near Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, October 11, 2007.

Foothills. Fields, openings. Summer, fall.
Near Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, October 11, 2007.

The upper side of the leaf (shown at left and immediately below) is dark green and rough from short, stiff, evenly spaced hairs. 

The underside is canescent (coated so extensively with hairs that it has a gray/white cast to it).  

Foothills. Fields, openings. Summer, fall.
Near Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, October 11, 2007.

Hairs abound on the phyllaries and flower stem.

Foothills. Fields, openings. Summer, fall.
Near Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, October 11, 2007.

The horsecollar-winged seeds of Ximenesia encelioides are really cute.

Foothills. Fields, openings. Summer, fall.
Near Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, October 11, 2007.

The Pinto Beans in this field were harvested about four weeks before this photograph was taken, so all of this Ximenesia encelioides growth has taken place in a very short time.