''Baileya'' (the desert marigolds) is a genus of plants in the aster family

Asteraceae Asteraceae () is a large family (biology), family of flowering plants that consists of over 32,000 known species in over 1,900 genera within the Order (biology), order Asterales. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchi ...

. All are native to the southwestern United States and to

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

.Tropicos, ''Baileya'' Harv. & A. Gray ex Torr.
/ref> They are typically annual, though ''B. multiradiata'' may be perennial. The leaves, which may range from being entire to deeply lobed, mostly occur in a basal cluster. From this arises several flower stems, up to 18 inches (50 cm) in height, usually carrying a single yellow radiate flower each, although ''B. pauciradiata'' may have 2–3 flowers on a stem.Flora of North America, Baileya Harvey & A. Gray ex Torrey in W. H. Emory
/ref> Desert marigolds typically have their main bloom in the spring, extending through July. Summer thunderstorms may enable a second bloom in October and even into November.Jepson Manual Treatment
/ref> ''Baileya'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

species including '' Schinia miniana'' (which feeds exclusively on the genus) and '' Schinia pallicincta'' (which feeds exclusively on ''B. pauciradiata''). The genus is named after US microscopist and West Point professor Jacob Whitman Bailey (1811–1857), known for his studies of diatoms.

Species

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile
Asteraceae genera Flora of Northern America Helenieae {{Helenieae-stub