Gaillardia
Gaillardia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to North and South America. It was named after Maître Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th-century French magistrate who was an enthusiastic botanist. The common name may refer to the resemblance of the inflorescence to the brightly patterned blankets made by Native Americans, or to the ability of wild taxa to blanket the ground with colonies. Many cultivars have been bred for ornamental use.
Description
These are annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs, sometimes with rhizomes. The stem is usually branching and erect to a maximum height around 80 centimeters. The leaves are alternately arranged. Some taxa have only basal leaves. They vary in shape. They are glandular in most species. The inflorescence is a solitary flower head. The head can have 15 or more ray florets, while some taxa lack any ray florets. They can be almost any shade of yellow, orange, red, purplish, brown, white, or bicolored. They are sometimes rolled into a funnel shape. There are many tubular disc florets at the center of the head in a similar range of colors, and usually tipped with hairs. The fruit usually has a pappus of scales.Ecology
Gaillardia species are used as food plants by the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera species, including Schinia bina, Schinia masoni and Schinia volupia.[Image:galliardia redoute.JPG|thumb|right|red dome blanketflower (Gaillardia pinnatifida)]
Symbolism
It is the official flower of Wallonia.The school colors of Texas State University are maroon and old gold, a combination inspired by the gaillardia.
Species
Species include:Gaillardia aestivalis H.Rock - lanceleaf blanketflower southeastern USAGaillardia amblyodon J.Gay - maroon blanketflower - TexasGaillardia aristata Pursh - common gaillardia - Canada, northern + western USAGaillardia arizonica A.Gray - Arizona blanketflower - Sonora, southwestern USAGaillardia cabrerae Gaillardia coahuilensis B.L.Turner - bandanna daisy - Coahuila, TexasGaillardia comosa A.Gray - northern MexicoGaillardia doniana Griseb. - Argentina Gaillardia gypsophila B.L.Turner - CoahuilaGaillardia henricksonii B.L.Turner - CoahuilaGaillardia megapotamica Baker - Argentina - boton de oro- * Gaillardia megapotamica var. radiata
- * Gaillardia megapotamica var. scabiosoides Gaillardia mexicana A.Gray - northeastern MexicoGaillardia multiceps Greene - onion blanketflower - Arizona, Texas, New MexicoGaillardia parryi Greene - Parry's blanketflower - Utah, ArizonaGaillardia pinnatifida Torr. - red dome blanketflower - northern Mexico, western USAGaillardia powellii B.L.Turner - CoahuilaGaillardia pulchella Foug. - firewheel - southern + central USA, central Canada, northern MexicoGaillardia serotina H. Rock - southeastern USAGaillardia spathulata A.Gray - western blanketflower - Utah, ColoradoGaillardia suavis Britton & Rusby - perfumeballs - northeastern Mexico, south-central USAGaillardia tontalensis Gaillardia turneri Averett & A.M.Powell - Chihuahua
Hybrids
- Gaillardia × grandiflora hort. ex Van Houtte