About Eriophyllum wallacei (A.Gray) A.Gray
Eriophyllum wallacei is a North American flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, commonly known as woolly daisy and woolly easterbonnets. This species grows in the southwestern United States, including Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and California, with an isolated population in Wyoming, as well as in northwestern Mexico, specifically northern Baja California. It can grow in clumps or on short erect stems in habitats with sand, rocks, and gravel. It is a small, squat annual herb that rarely grows more than 15 centimetres (6 inches) in height. The entire plant is covered in thick white cotton-candy-like woolly hairs, and has small oval leaves that reach up to 2 cm (1 in) long. Flowering occurs between March and June, with one flower head produced per stem. Each flower head is roughly 6 millimetres (1⁄4 in) wide, and holds 5 to 10 yellow or cream-colored ray florets. The ray florets are around 3 mm (1⁄8 in) long, sometimes marked with red veins, and surround 20 to 30 yellow disc florets. The seeds produced by the plant are black and narrow. In drier growing conditions, the plant typically develops only a single stem to ensure successful reproduction via seed. When more moisture is available, it branches from its base to grow multiple stalks.
