Gaillardia

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Blanketflower

Common Gaillardia (Gaillardia aristata)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Gaillardia

Species

See text.

Gaillardia (Blanket flower) is a genus of drought-tolerant annual and perennial plants from the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to North America. It was named after M. Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th-century French magistrate who was a patron of botany. The common name refers to the inflorescence's resemblance to brightly patterned blankets made by native Americans.

These plants form wiry, branched stems with lanceolate to linear basal leaves. The plant grows to 1 1/2 to 2 ft (45 - 60 cm) tall, with bright daisy-like single color and bi-color blooms in shades from buff to red to brown. The flowers bloom in the summer. There more than two dozen known species of Gaillardia.

They will grow under very harsh and dry conditions, forming mounds, 8 - 18 inches (20 - 45 cm) high, and will even bloom in sand along a seashore.

Gaillardia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Schinia bina (which has been recorded on G. pulchella), Schinia masoni (which feeds exclusively on G. aristata) and Schinia volupia (which feeds exclusively on G. pulchella).

[edit] Species

Gaillardia aestivalis : Lanceleaf Blanketflower
- Gaillardia aestivalis var. aestivalis : Lanceleaf Blanketflower
- Gaillardia aestivalis var. flavovirens : Lanceleaf Blanketflower
- Gaillardia aestivalis var. winkleri : Winkler's Blanketflower
Gaillardia amblyodon : Maroon Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata : Common gaillardia

Gaillardia Aristata(Gaillardia aristata)

Gaillardia arizonica : Arizona Blanketflower
- Gaillardia arizonica var. arizonica : Arizona Blanketflower
- Gaillardia arizonica var. pringlei : Pringle's Blanketflower

Red Dome Blanketflower (Gaillardia pinnatifida)

Gaillardia coahuilensis : Bandanna Daisy
Gaillardia flava : Yellow Blanketflower
Gaillardia x grandiflora [G. aristata × G. pulchella]
Gaillardia multiceps : Onion Blanketflower
- Gaillardia multiceps var. microcephala : Onion Blanketflower
- Gaillardia multiceps var. multiceps : Onion Blanketflower
Gaillardia parryi : Parry's Blanketflower
Gaillardia pinnatifida : Red Dome Blanketflower
- Gaillardia pinnatifida var. linearis : : Red Dome Blanketflower
- Gaillardia pinnatifida var. pinnatifida : Red Dome Blanketflower
Gaillardia pulchella : Firewheel
- Gaillardia pulchella var. australis : Firewheel
- Gaillardia pulchella var. picta : : Firewheel
- Gaillardia pulchella var. pulchella : Firewheel
Gaillardia spathulata : : Western Blanketflower
Gaillardia suavis : : Perfumeballs