| Ericameria parryi | |
|---|---|
| |
| Ericameria parryi var. aspera | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Ericameria |
| Species: | E. parryi
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ericameria parryi | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Chrysothamnus parryi | |
Ericameria parryi (syn. Chrysothamnus parryi) is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Parry's rabbitbrush. It is native to much of the western United States.[1][2]
This plant is quite variable, with certain characters defining each of its many varieties. In general, it is a shrub producing several upright stems reaching 10 centimeters to one meter tall, but usually not reaching that height. The branches are coated in a fuzz of white or greenish fibers. The leaves are linear to spatula-shaped and measure one to 8 centimeters long. The leaves are hairless to quite hairy or woolly in texture, and they may be glandular and sticky. The inflorescence is often a mass of many flower heads, but sometimes the heads are solitary. Each head has up to 20 yellow disc florets. There are no ray florets. The fruit is an achene up to 8 millimeters long tipped with a whitish or brown pappus up to 7.5 millimeters in length.[1][2]
Flowering occurs mostly in July through September, and the achenes develop and disperse in the fall and into the winter. The seed is wind-dispersed. The plant's lifespan is 15 to 20 years.[2]
This hardy plant occupies several habitat types. It can be found in mountains and foothills and its population will often increase upon environmental disturbance, such as grazing.[2]
There are at least 12 varieties:[1]
