Carnegiea gigantea, Giant Saguaro

Southwest Desert Flora

Home to the plants of the Sonoran, Chihuahuan and Mojave Deserts

Cirsium ochrocentrum, Yellowspine Thistle

Sanvitalia abertii, Abert's Creeping Zinnia

Abert's Creeping Zinnia has yellow flowers with by ray and disk florets. The fruit is technically a cypsela. Sanvitalia abertiiAbert's Creeping Zinnia blooms from July or August to September and October following summer monsoon rainfall. Sanvitalia abertiiAbert's Creeping Zinnia prefers habitats that range from dry rocky slopes, hillsides, mesas, open areas in pinyon-juniper communities and along streams. Sanvitalia abertiiAbert's Creeping Zinnia has green leaves mostly without a leaf stalk (sessile), although there is a short stalk in the photo; the leaves are linear or lance-linear with short stiff hairs.  Sanvitalia abertiiAbert's Creeping Zinnia is also called Abert’s Sanvitalia. Plants prefer elevations from 3,500 to 8,000 feet (1,067-2,438 m). Sanvitalia abertiiAbert's Creeping Zinnia is a forb/herb; plants are mostly upright (erect) or spreading, some prostrate; few or several slender stems; foliage and stems rough (strigose) to the touch. Sanvitalia abertii

Scientific Name: Sanvitalia abertii
Common Name: Abert's Creeping Zinnia

Also Called: Abert's Sanvitalia

Family: Asteraceae, Sunflower Family

Synonyms: ( )

Status: Native

Duration: Annual from a taproot.

Size: Up to 12 inches (30 cm)

Growth Form: Forb/herb; plants mostly upright (erect) or spreading, some prostrate; few or several slender stems; foliage and stems rough (strigose) to the touch.

Leaves: Green; mostly without leaf stalk (sessile); linear or lance-linear; opposite on stem; short stiff hairs.

Flower Color: Yellow; heads with both ray and disk florets; fruit is a cypsela.

Flowering Season: July or August to September and October following summer monsoon rainfall

Elevation: 3,500 to 8,000 feet (1,067-2,438 m)

Habitat Preferences: Dry rocky slopes, hillsides, mesas, open areas in pinyon-juniper communities and along streams.

Recorded Range: In the United States Abert’s Creeping Zinnia is found in the southwest mostly in AZ and NM with smaller populations in CA, NV and TX. In Arizona it is found in northern and southern parts of the state.

North America & US County Distribution Map for Sanvitalia abertii.

North America species range map for Abert's Creeping Zinnia, Sanvitalia abertii:

North America species range map for Abert's Creeping Zinnia, Sanvitalia abertii: Click image for full size map.
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 3 species and 3 accepted taxa overall for Sanvitalia. Worldwide, The Plant List includes 2 accepted species names and a further 2 scientific names of infraspecific rank for Sanvitalia.

The genus Sanvitalia was published in 1792 by Lamarck, Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet de (1744-1829).

In the Southwestern United States: Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico each have 1 species of Sanvitalia, California has 2 species, Texas has 3 species, Utah has 0 species. Data approximate and subject to revision.

Comments: Plants in the genus Sanvitalia are collectively called "creeping zinnias". Photo above take August 28, near Canelo, eastern Santa Cruz County, Arizona.

Importance to Wildlife, Birds and Livestock
Sanvitalia abertii flowers, and their seeds and plants may be visited by hummingbirds and/or small mammals including rodents and granivorous birds in search of food, nectar, shelter and protection through cover.

Beneficial Value to Butterflies, Bees and Insects
Sanvitalia abertii has small but attractive flowers, and the flowers and their plants may be visited by butterflies, moths, native bees and other insects in search of food and nectar.

Etymology:
The genus “Sanvitalia” (Sanvita'lia:) is named to honor of Federico Sanvitali (1704-1761, Professor at Brescia, Italy. It is possibly also named in honor of other family members, as a whole, which included Federico Sanvitali (1770-1819), grand-nephew of Professor Sanvitali and Count Stefano Sanvitali (1764-1838), also a grand-nephew of Professor Sanvitali.

The genus Sanvitalia was published in 1792 by Lamarck, Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet de (1744-1829).

The taxon Sanvitalia aberti was published in 1849 by Harvard botanist Asa Gray, (1810-1888).

The species epithet abertii (a'bertii:) was named after James William Abert (1820-1897), army officer and explorer, born November 18, 1820, in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

Ethnobotany
Sanvitalia abertii is used for a multitude of purposes by southwestern United States indigenous peoples.
  • Navajo Drug, Diaphoretic; Plant used to increase perspiration.
  • Navajo Drug, Oral Aid; Plant chewed for mouth sores.
  • Navajo, Ramah Drug, Analgesic; Cold infusion of leaves taken and used as lotion for headache.
  • Navajo, Ramah Drug, Analgesic for Gynecological Aid; Compound decoction used for menstrual pain.
  • Navajo, Ramah Drug, Cold Remedy; Chewed leaves swallowed for cold.
  • Navajo, Ramah Drug, Dermatological Aid; Poultice of chewed leaves or infusion of leaves applied to skin sores.
  • Navajo, Ramah Drug, Febrifuge; Cold infusion of leaves taken and used as lotion for fever.
  • Navajo, Ramah Drug, Oral Aid; Warm infusion used as mouthwash and leaves chewed for canker sores.
  • Navajo, Ramah Drug, Panacea; Plant used as 'life medicine.'
  • Navajo, Ramah Drug, Snake Bite Remedy; Compound decoction of plant used for snake bite.
  • Navajo, Ramah Drug, Throat Aid; Chewed leaves swallowed for sore throat.
  • Navajo, Ramah Drug, Toothache Remedy; Leaves chewed for toothache.

  • See complete listing of ethno-botanical uses at Native American Ethnobotany, University of Michigan, Dearborn.

    Date Profile Completed: 10/26/2012; updated 10/22/2020
    References:
    Arizona Flora, Kearney, Thomas H., Peebles, Robert H., 1960, University of California Press, Berkley and Los Angeles
    U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service on-line database and USGS ITIS search; accessed 10/18/2020.
    https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=SAAB
    https://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=profile&symbol=SANVI&display=31
    The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Published on the Internet; http://www.theplantlist.org/; accessed 10/21/2020.
    http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Compositae/Sanvitalia/
    John L. Strother, FNA | Family List | FNA Vol. 21 | Asteraceae, Sanvitalia, 3. Sanvitalia abertii A. Gray, Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, n. s. 4: 87. 1849.; Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico. 16+ vols. New York and Oxford.
    FNA 2006, Martin and Hutchins 1980, Heil et al. 2013; Editors: S.Buckley 2010, F.S.Coburn 2015, A.Hazelton 2017; from SEINet Field Guide, on-line; accessed 10/21/2020.
    https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=2230
    David J. Keil 2012, Sanvitalia abertii, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, /eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=4634, accessed on October 21, 2020.
    Wikipedia contributors, 'Sanvitalia abertii', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 21 July 2020, 14:01 UTC,
    https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sanvitalia_abertii&oldid=968785591 [accessed 21 October 2020]
    Seiler, John, Peterson, John, North American species range map courtesy of Virginia Tech, Dept. of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation
    http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/
    SEINet synonyms, scientific names, geographic locations, general information.
    http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/
    Etymology:Michael L. Charters California Plant Names: Latin and Greek Meanings and Derivations; A Dictionary of Botanical and Biographical Etymology - (accessed 10/21/2020)
    http://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/pageSA-SH.html
    http://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/pageAB-AM.html
    IPNI (2020). International Plant Names Index. Published on the Internet http://www.ipni.org, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Botanic Gardens. [Retrieved 21 October 2020].
    https://www.ipni.org/n/30204763-2