Gaillardia pulchella

{{Short description|Species of plant}} {{Redirect|Firewheel|the Garland, Texas shopping center|Firewheel Town Center}} {{Speciesbox | image = Gaillardia in Aspen (91273).jpg | image_caption = Indian blanket inflorescence | status = {{TNCStatus}} | status_system = TNC | status_ref = <ref>{{Cite NatureServe | id=2.143825|title=''Gaillardia pulchella'' |access-date=24 August 2023|date=4 August 2023}}</ref> | genus = Gaillardia | species = pulchella | authority = Foug. | synonyms_ref = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/gcc-120122|title=Gaillardia pulchella Foug. — The Plant List|website=www.theplantlist.org}}</ref> | synonyms = {{Collapsible list|bullets = true|title = Synonymy | ''Calonnea pulcherrima'' Buc'hoz | ''Gaillardia bicolor'' Lam. | ''Gaillardia drummondii'' (Hook.) DC. | ''Gaillardia lobata'' Buckley | ''Gaillardia neomexicana'' A.Nelson | ''Gaillardia picta'' D.Don | ''Gaillardia scabrosa'' Buckley | ''Gaillardia villosa'' Rydb. | ''Galordia alternifolia'' Raeusch. }} }}

'''''Gaillardia pulchella''''' ('''firewheel''', '''Indian blanket''', '''Indian blanketflower''', or '''sundance''') is a North American species of short-lived perennial or annual flowering plants in the sunflower family.<ref>Turner, B. L. 2013. The comps of Mexico. A systematic account of the family Asteraceae (chapter 11: tribe Helenieae). Phytologia Memoirs 16: 1–100</ref><ref>Jørgensen, P. M., M. H. Nee & S. G. Beck. (eds.) 2014. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia, Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 127(1–2): i–viii, 1–1744</ref><ref>Nelson, C. H. 2008. Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares de Honduras 1–1576. Secretaria de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente, Tegucigalpa</ref><ref>Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. M. Welman, E. Retief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. Van Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200023953|title=Gaillardia pulchella in Flora of China @ efloras.org|website=www.efloras.org}}</ref><ref>{{PLANTS|symbol=GAPU|taxon=Gaillardia pulchella}}</ref>

==Description==

The branching stem of ''G. pulchella'' is hairy and upright, growing to {{Convert|60|cm|abbr=off}} tall.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Spellenberg |first=Richard |url=https://archive.org/details/nationalaudubons00spel/page/374/ |title=National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region |publisher=Knopf |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-375-40233-3 |edition=rev |pages=374–375 |orig-date=1979}}</ref> The leaves are alternate, mostly basal, {{Convert|4–8|cm|abbr=on|frac=8}} long, with edges smooth to coarsely toothed or lobed. It has a hairy stem, simple or branched near the base, where the leaves are essentially located towards the bottom of the plant.

The pinwheel, daisy-like inflorescences are 4–6.5 cm in diameter,<ref name=":0" /> vividly colored with red, orange and yellow and is surrounded by 10 to 20 ray florets up to 2 cm;<ref name=":0" /> the ligule has three lobes. The central disc florets of the flower head tend to be more red-violet, with the outer ray florets being yellow. In one variety, almost the entire flower is red, with only the barest tips of the petals touched with yellow. It typically blooms from May to July,<ref name=":0" /> but does so practically year-round in some areas.

The fruit is an achene, almost pyramidal, hairy, and prolonged by a pappus {{Convert|5 to 8|mm|frac=16}} in length.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200023953|title=Gaillardia pulchella in Flora of North America @ efloras.org|website=www.efloras.org}}</ref><ref>{{GRIN | access-date = 24 December 2017}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat== It is native to northern Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Sonora, Tamaulipas) and the southern and central United States from Arizona east to Florida and the Carolinas and north as far as Nebraska.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Gaillardia%20pulchella.png|title=Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map}}</ref> It is also naturalized in scattered locations in other parts of the U.S. as well as in Québec, Ontario,<ref name=":0" /> China, South Africa, and parts of Central and South America.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} The plant generally lives in the sandy plains and deserts of the south of the North American continent. It is common along the roads and prefers sandy soils. It can also grow on vacant lots in urban areas, but generally below {{Convert|1000|m|abbr=off}} above sea level.<ref>MacMahon JA (1997) Deserts, National Audubon Society Nature Guides, AA Knopf Inc. {{ISBN|0-394-73139-5}}</ref>

The flower has also been introduced to the Penghu (Pescadores) Islands in Taiwan, where it is the County Flower of Penghu County. It is called ''tiānrén jú'' ({{lang|zh|天人菊}}; "''tianren'' daisy") in Chinese.<ref name="Penghu Government">{{cite web |title=Penghu County Flower |url=http://tour.penghu.gov.tw/en/culture2content.aspx?forewordTypeID=320 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903113450/http://tour.penghu.gov.tw/en/culture2content.aspx?forewordTypeID=320 |archive-date=2014-09-03}}</ref>

==Ecology== The plant is a larval host to the bordered patch butterfly (''Chlosyne lacinia'') and the painted schinia moth (''Schinia volupia''), which feed upon its foliage.<ref>The Xerces Society (2016), ''Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects'', Timber Press.</ref>

== Cultivation == ''G. pulchella'' is a hardy plant, not picky about soil, though sandy and well-drained are best. It has a high drought tolerance and does best with a dry, hot climate in full sun. Its vibrantly colored flowers can be seen carpeting fields and the sides of highways for miles in the summer to late fall. Favored by honeybees, it produces a dark reddish amber buttery tasting honey. In the garden, the flowers can be deadheaded to promote further blooming. It self-seeds freely.

===Cultivars=== thumb|'Torch Yellow' cultivar

''Gaillardia pulchella'' (with the perennial ''Gaillardia aristata'') is the parent of ''Gaillardia × grandiflora'', a hybrid, from which several cultivars have been created. One of these is 'Sundance Bicolor', a perennial double-form with the flower heads having florets of alternating red and yellow. Because of its bright colors, it is well adapted in the sun. Others are 'Goblin' and 'Tangerine'.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Gaillardia pulchella 'Sundance Bicolor' |url=http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/Whats/Amerslct/2003as11.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030912181414/http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/Whats/Amerslct/2003as11.htm |archive-date=2003-09-12 |access-date= |website=www.colostate.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Seeds and More: ''Gaillardia'' 'Sundance Bicolor' |url=http://www.seedsandmore-store.com/catalog.php/seedsandmore/dt387/pd1796134/Gaillardia_Sundance_Bicolor_ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507172122/http://www.seedsandmore-store.com/catalog.php/seedsandmore/dt387/pd1796134/Gaillardia_Sundance_Bicolor_ |archive-date=2009-05-07}}</ref>

== Culture == It is the state wildflower of Oklahoma.

==Gallery== {{gallery|mode=packed |Gaillardia pulchella kz02.jpg|Entire plant |Gaillardia pulchella 3.JPG|Side view of flowers |Firewheel or Indian Blanket -- Gaillardia pulchella.jpg|Flower close-up |Indian Blanket seedhead.jpg|Lighter seedhead |Gaillardia in Aspen (91285) (cropped).jpg|Darker seedhead }}

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} {{Wikispecies}}

* [http://web.biosci.utexas.edu/bio406d/PlantPics_archive.htm Image Archive of Central Texas Plants] * Ajilvsgi, Geyata. ''Wildflowers of Texas''. Shearer Publishing, revised edition 2003. {{ISBN|0-940672-73-1}} * [http://www.floridata.com/ref/g/gaillad.cfm Floridata: ''Gaillardia pulchella''] * [http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/I/IN006.html Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture – Indian Blanket] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101018203240/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/I/IN006.html |date=2010-10-18 }}

pulchella Category:Flora of Northeastern Mexico Category:Flora of Southeastern Mexico Category:Flora of the Great Plains (North America) Category:Flora of the United States Category:Flora of the South-Central United States Category:Flora of the Southeastern United States Category:Plants described in 1788 Category:Symbols of Oklahoma Category:Garden plants of North America