zinnia grandiflora

Zinnia grandiflora Nutt.

by Angelina Robinson, Native Plants of Arizona 2007
Common names: Rocky Mountain Zinnia (1)
Family: Asteraceae (1)
Synonymy: Zinnia grandiflora Nutt. (1)
Etymology: Zinnia is named after the botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn (1727-1759); grandi means large, powerful, full-grown, showy, big; flora refers to flower.

Identification
Growth form: Subshrub, perennial herb (1).
Roots:
Stem: Greenish many branched (7).
Leaves: Grayish green, linear, very narrow, up to 1 inch, strigose to scabrous (3, 7).
Inflorescence/flowers: Heads 1.5 inches wide at the terminal end of the branch; with 3 to 6 bright yellow ray flowers, and numerous red disk flowers in center, (3).
Fruit: Achenes brown, 1.5-3 mm, glabrous (4).
Similar species:

Ecology
Life history: Herbaceous perennial, forms clumps up from 4 to 6 inches tall, 12 to 20 inches wide (4).
Native/introduced: Native to the Southwestern United States (1).
Photosynthetic pathway:
Phenology: Flowers May to October (3).
Distribution: 4,000 to 6,500 feet in elevation (3) in grasslands and pinyon-juniper woodlands; found throughout Northern Arizona. Also in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado (1).

Uses
Medicinal uses include a hot infusion of the plant taken internally for kidney trouble or externally for excessive sweating. The plant is also used for nose and throat problems, stomach ache, and heartburn (5).

References

1. USDA, NRCS. 2007. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 12 October2007). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

2. Gledhill, D. 2002. The Names of Plants, 3^rd Edition. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, England.

3. Epple, A. O. 1995. A Field Guide to the Plants of Arizona. Falcon Publishing. Helena, Montana.

4. Flora of North America: www.eFloras.com. FNA Volume 5. (http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250060386 ).

5. Moerman, D. 2003. Native American Ethnobotany Database (http://herb.umd.umich.edu/). University of Michigan, Dearborn, MI 48198 USA.

Zinnia grandiflora Nutt. by Angelina Robinson, Native Plants of Arizona 2007 Common names: Rocky Mountain Zinnia (1) Family: Asteraceae (1) Synonymy: Zinnia grandiflora Nutt. (1) Etymology: Zinnia is named after the botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn (1727-1759); grandi means large, powerful, full-grown, showy, big; flora refers to flower. Identification Growth form: Subshrub, perennial herb (1). Roots: Stem: Greenish many branched (7). Leaves: Grayish green, linear, very narrow, up to 1 inch, strigose to scabrous (3, 7). Inflorescence/flowers: Heads 1.5 inches wide at the terminal end of the branch; with 3 to 6 bright yellow ray flowers, and numerous red disk flowers in center, (3). Fruit: Achenes brown, 1.5-3 mm, glabrous (4). Similar species: Ecology Life history: Herbaceous perennial, forms clumps up from 4 to 6 inches tall, 12 to 20 inches wide (4). Native/introduced: Native to the Southwestern United States (1). Photosynthetic pathway: Phenology: Flowers May to October (3). Distribution: 4,000 to 6,500 feet in elevation (3) in grasslands and pinyon-juniper woodlands; found throughout Northern Arizona. Also in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado (1). Uses Medicinal uses include a hot infusion of the plant taken internally for kidney trouble or externally for excessive sweating. The plant is also used for nose and throat problems, stomach ache, and heartburn (5). References 1. USDA, NRCS. 2007. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 12 October2007). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA. 2. Gledhill, D. 2002. The Names of Plants, 3^rd Edition. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, England. 3. Epple, A. O. 1995. A Field Guide to the Plants of Arizona. Falcon Publishing. Helena, Montana. 4. Flora of North America: www.eFloras.com. FNA Volume 5. (http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250060386 ). 5. Moerman, D. 2003. Native American Ethnobotany Database (http://herb.umd.umich.edu/). University of Michigan, Dearborn, MI 48198 USA.