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Arida mattturneri

Arida mattturneri B.L. Turner & G.L. Nesom

Matt Turner's Aster

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: ARMA5

USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Arida mattturneri is known from a single county in west Texas, Presidio County. This species is also called Leucosyris mattturneri. It is currently listed as Critically Imperiled on NatureServe (G1 - Global, N1 - National, S1 - State).

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Root Type: Tap
Leaf Shape: Obovate
Leaf Margin: Entire , Pinnatifid
Leaf Apex: Apiculate
Size Notes: Up to 50-80 cm in height.
Leaf: Many thin, upright branching stems that are glabrous and slightly sticky. Lower, basal leaves are longer and more divided with upper, cauline leaves being simpler with smooth or slightly toothed edges.
Flower: Clusters of about a dozen flower heads creating corymbiform (or flat-topped) arrays. Involucres are bell-shaped and made of green phyllaries that curve backward. The ray flowers (9-13) are lavender and droop when open, then curl up. The disc flowers are yellow.
Fruit: Oblong to oval, silky cypselae (or dry, single-seeded fruit).

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow , Purple
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: TX
Native Distribution: Endemic to west Texas in Blumberg Canyon, Presidio County.
Native Habitat: Occurs in sulphur streams and gypseous tinajas at an elevation of 1400-1500 m.

Growing Conditions

Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
Soil Description: Gypseous soils in streams and seeps.

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 28 - NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life (2018) NatureServe

Additional resources

USDA: Find Arida mattturneri in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Arida mattturneri in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Arida mattturneri

Metadata

Record Modified: 2026-05-26
Research By: ESE

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