''Fallugia'' is a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unisp ...

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s containing the single species ''Fallugia paradoxa'', which is known by the common names Apache plume and póñil. This plant is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is found in arid habitats such as desert woodlands and scrub.

Description

''Fallugia paradoxa'' is an erect shrub not exceeding two meters in height. It has light gray or whitish peeling bark on its many thin branches. The leaves are each about a centimeter long and deeply lobed with the edges rolled under. The upper surface of the leaf is green and hairy while the underside is duller in color and scaly. The flower is roselike when new, with rounded white petals and a center filled with many thready

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s and

pistils Gynoecium (; ; : gynoecia) is most commonly used as a collective term for the parts of a flower that produce ovules and ultimately develop into the fruit and seeds. The gynoecium is the innermost whorl (botany), whorl of a flower; it consists ...

. The ovary of the flower remains after the white petals fall away, leaving many plumelike lavender styles, each 3 to 5 centimeters long. The plant may be covered with these dark pinkish clusters of curling, feathery styles after flowering. Each style is attached to a developing fruit, which is a small

achene An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple fruit, simple dry fruits, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and Dehi ...

. The fruit is dispersed when the wind catches the styles and blows them away. Wasps such as ''

Polistes instabilis ''Polistes instabilis'', or Unstable paper wasp is a type of paper wasp, is a neotropical, social wasp, eusocial wasp (family (biology), family Vespidae) that can be found in tropical and subtropical areas such as Central America and South Americ ...

'' commonly feed on its nectar.

Uses

''Fallugia paradoxa'' is considered valuable for erosion control in desert areas where it grows. It is also used in xeric landscaping as an ornamental shrub with habitat value. Visual interest is provided by white flowers in late spring, yielding to pink plumes that gradually fade to white but continue to give the plant a feathery appearance for the duration of the growing season.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment - ''Fallugia paradoxa''USDA Plants Profile - ''Fallugia paradoxa''''Fallugia paradoxa'' Photo gallery

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Plant Database - ''Fallugia paradoxa''
Colurieae Monotypic Rosaceae genera Flora of the California desert regions North American desert flora Flora of the Southwestern United States Flora of New Mexico Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Rosoideae-stub