Bigelow's tansyaster facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bigelow's tansyaster
Fig. nº 4
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Dieteria
Species:	D. bigelovii
Binomial name
Dieteria bigelovii (A.Gray) D.R.Morgan & R.L.Hartm.
Synonyms
Synonymy Aster aquifolius (Greene ex Wooton & Standl.) S.F.Blake Aster bigelovii A.Gray Aster pattersonii A.Gray Aster rubrotinctus S.F.Blake Aster townshendii Hook.f. Machaeranthera aquifolia Greene ex Wooton & Standl. Machaeranthera aquifolia Greene Machaeranthera aspera Greene Machaeranthera bigelovii (A.Gray) Greene Machaeranthera centaureoides Greene ex Wooton & Standl. Machaeranthera pattersonii (A.Gray) Greene Machaeranthera rubricaulis Rydb. Machaeranthera spectabilis Greene Machaeranthera varians Greene Machaeranthera viscosula Rydb. Machaeranthera commixta Greened, syn of var. commixta Aster adenolepis S.F.Blake, syn of var. mucronata Machaeranthera mucronata Greene, syn of var. mucronata

Dieteria bigelovii, also known as Bigelow's tansyaster, is a type of plant found in North America. It belongs to the sunflower family, which is a very large group of flowering plants. This plant grows naturally in the southwestern United States. You can find it in states like Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and a part of Wyoming (specifically Albany County).

About Bigelow's Tansyaster

Bigelow's tansyaster is a special kind of plant called an biennial or perennial herb. A biennial plant lives for two years, usually growing leaves in the first year and then flowering and dying in the second. A perennial plant lives for more than two years, often coming back to life each spring.

This plant produces several flower heads. These aren't just one flower, but a cluster of many small flowers that look like a single large bloom.

What Its Flowers Look Like

The flower heads of Bigelow's tansyaster have two main parts. The outer parts are called ray florets. These are like the "petals" you see on a daisy or sunflower. For Bigelow's tansyaster, these ray florets are female and can be blue or purple.

The inner part of the flower head is made of many tiny flowers called disc florets. These disc florets are yellow and can produce both male and female parts, meaning they can self-pollinate or be pollinated by insects.

Different Types of Bigelow's Tansyaster

Even within the same species, plants can have slight differences depending on where they grow. These are called varieties. Bigelow's tansyaster has three known varieties:

• Dieteria bigelovii var. bigelovii: This variety is found in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. It's the most common type.
• Dieteria bigelovii var. commixta: You can find this variety in the Wasatch Mountains in Utah.
• Dieteria bigelovii var. mucronata: This type grows on the Kaibab Plateau in northern Arizona.