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

This common-to-abundant plant is primarily found on disturbed sites in the Southwest United States.  It grows from a few to fifty inches tall from a strong taproot and flowers prolifically.  Various botanical authorities consider it either an annual, biennial, or perennial.  I have only found it to be a very hardy annual that may begin blooming in mid-summer, go to seed, and actually have these seeds root, grow, and fully develop with flowers late in the same season.

Basal leaves of Verbesina encelioides 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.

Weber indicates that this plant is non-native; most other authorities (including John Kartesz, the ultimate authority for this web site  --  see his range map and colors below) considers this a native plant in the Four Corners area.

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 Verbesina 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 Verbesina encelioides growth took place in a very short time.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Verbesina encelioides