Blennosperma nanum

Taxobox
name = "Blennosperma nanum"

---

regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Asterales
familia = Asteraceae
subfamilia = Asteroideae
tribus = Senecioneae
genus = "Blennosperma"
species = "B. nanum"
binomial = "Blennosperma nanum"
binomial_authority = (Hook.) S.F.Blake

The annual herb "Blennosperma nanum" has the common names glue-seed and common stickyseed. It is a small yellow flower closely related to the daisy. The petals are a paler yellow than many other daisy-like flowers, and the ring of stamens ooze a viscous white juice containing the pollen. The seeds are also carried in a gluey fluid. The Greek name for the genus means "slimy seed."

The flower is distributed throughout the lower elevations in California, but is not particularly abundant. It is a resident of vernal pool floral communities. Glue-seed is often one of the first flowers to bloom as winter turns to spring.

There are two subspecies of the plant:

* "Blennosperma nanum" var. "robustum": the Point Reyes subspecies of the plant, sometimes called Point Reyes blennosperma, is very rare and is only found in that isolated area.

* "Blennosperma nanum" var. "nanum" is much more common, and is sometimes called common blennosperma, yellow carpet, or meadow daisy.

External links

* [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,820,822 Jepson Flora Project: "Blennosperma nanum"]