SafePlants

Blepharizonia: The Big Tarweed Genus

Blepharizonia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Asteraceae family (also known as the aster or daisy family). The common name for some species is "big tarweed."

Considerations for Pets and Children

• This plant is a tarweed.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Blepharizonia (A. Gray) Greene
• Family: Asteraceae (Compositae)
• Synonyms: Blepharizonia plumosa ssp. plumosa, Blepharizonia laxa Greene (as a synonym for Blepharizonia plumosa ssp. viscida)
• Etymology: The name Blepharizonia comes from the Greek words "blepharis," meaning eyelash, and "zona," meaning girdle or ring, possibly referring to rings of ciliate structures on the plant.

Species

• Currently, there are two recognized species within the genus:
  • Blepharizonia plumosa (Kellogg) Greene - Known as big tarweed
  • Blepharizonia laxa Greene - Known as glandular big tarweed

Distribution and Habitat

• Both species of Blepharizonia are endemic to California, specifically central California.
• Blepharizonia plumosa grows in the Central Coast region.
• These plants are described as robust xerophytic annuals, indicating they are adapted to dry environments. They occupy an area from the vicinity of San Francisco Bay and adjacent areas.

Morphological Characteristics

• Blepharizonia plumosa is an annual herb (forb/herb - annual).

Ecological Role

• The provided texts mentions that controlled fires can affect populations of Blepharizonia plumosa in specific locations.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• A photo was noted of Blepharizonia interacting with a caterpillar.

Further Information

• The PLANTS Database (version 4.0.4, acquired 1996) contains information on Blepharizonia plumosa ssp. viscida.
• The Jepson Herbarium is a resource for information on this genus.
• BONAP's North American Plant Atlas provides distribution maps.