Logfia arizonica, Arizona Cottonrose, Southwest Desert Flora

Logfia arizonica, Arizona Cottonrose

Arizona Cottonrose has inconspicuous flowers that are yellow. The roundish or globose inflorescence opens with leaves extending beyond the inflorescence as shown in the photo. Logfia arizonica

Arizona Cottonrose may have 1 or more (3) flowering clusters covered with whitish cotton-like hairs, as shown here. Logfia arizonica

Arizona Cottonrose or Arizona Fluffweed as it is sometimes called has green or purplish slender stems which are often smooth or becoming so. Logfia arizonica

Arizona Cottonrose, depending on the geographic location blooms from February or March to April, May or June and is found at elevations from 1,000 to 2,500 feet (305-762 m). Logfia arizonica

Arizona Cottonrose has green to grayish-green leaves that are narrow or narrowly linear. Habitat preferences include moist areas, sandy and gravelly washes, mesas, rocky hillsides and rocky places, clay soils and roadsides. Logfia arizonica

Scientific Name: Logfia arizonica
Common Name: Arizona Cottonrose

Also called: Arizona False Cotton-Rose, Arizona Fluffweed

Family: Asteraceae, Sunflower Family

Synonyms: (Filago arizonica, Oglifa arizonica)

Status: Native

Duration: Annual

Size: ¾ to 4 inches (2-10 cm) or more; 7 inches (20 cm)

Growth Form: Forb/herb; 1 or more stems, often spreading; note dark purplish stems in photo above; stems generally smooth or becoming so; plants covered in dense, soft, often matted short hairs looking a little like cobwebs.

Leaves: Green to grayish-green; leaves narrow, linear; leaves arranged alternately on slender stems; note in the photos above the leaves extend beyond flowering head clusters.

Flower Color: Light yellow; heads small, 3 or more compact roundish (globose) heads per group covered with whitish cotton-like hairs; fruit is a cypsela with a pappus.

Flowering Season: February or March to April, May or June

Elevation: 1,000 to 2,500 feet (305-762 m)

Habitat Preferences: Lower desert areas, Creosote Bush communities, moist areas, sandy and gravelly washes, mesas, rocky hillsides and rocky places, clay soils and roadsides; coastal slopes in California.

Recorded Range: A rare plant in the United States it is found only in southwest Arizona and southern and southwest California. It is also native to northern Baja California and northwest Mexico.

North America & US County Distribution Map for Logfia arizonica.

North America species range map for Arizona Cottonrose, Logfia arizonica:

Click image for full size map

U.S. Weed Information: Unknown
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: Unknown
Wetland Indicator: Unknown
Threatened/Endangered Information: Unknown

Genus Information: In North America there are 6 species and 6 accepted taxa overall for Logfia. Worldwide, The Plant List includes 5 accepted species names and a further 2 scientific names of infraspecific rank for Logfia.

The genus Logfia was published by Alexandre Henri Gabriel de Cassinni, (1781-1832), in 1819.

In the Southwestern United States: Arizona has 3 species of Logfia California has 5 species, Nevada and Texas each have 2 species, New Mexico and Utah each have 1 species. Data approximate and subject to revision.

Comments: Arizona Cottonrose is species of daisy that if not examined carefully might confuse it with Fluff Grass, Erioneuron pulchellum, a true member of the Grass Family (Poaceae) which it superficially resembles.

Arizona Cottonrose or Fluffweed has an interesting history of botanists cleverly using anagrams when renaming a species. Originally Arizona Cottonrose was placed in genus Oglifa (Oglifa arizonica). Botanists changed that classification to the new genus Filago (Filago arizonica), which is an anagram of Oglifa. Arizona Cottonrose was changed a third time using the same letters in the original name to Logfia. - see updated information below.

Importance to Wildlife, Birds and Livestock Arizona Cottonrose, Logfia arizonica have inconspicuous flowers and diminutive plants which may be visited by hummingbirds and/or small mammals including rodents in search of food.

Beneficial Value to Butterflies, Bees and Insects Arizona Cottonrose, Logfia arizonica have inconspicuous flowers and diminutive plants which may have visits by butterflies, moths and other insects in search of food and nectar.

Etymology: The genus “logfia” (Logfi'a:) is apparently an anagram of the genus Filago.

According to Michael L. Charters, author and compiler of California Plant Names: Latin and Greek Meanings and Derivations “The genus is undergoing some revision, and the names Logfia and Oglifa, both anagrams, are in the running to take part of the original genus. The author of Filago has apparently decided to forgo the use of the name Oglifa in favor of Logfia, with only a single species remaining in Filago”.

The genus Logfia was published by Alexandre Henri Gabriel de Cassinni, (1781-1832), in 1819.

The species epithet “arizonica” )arizon'ica:) of or from Arizona.

Ethnobotany Unknown