Names and Taxonomy
- Common Names: Schott’s Pygmy Cedar, Pygmy Cedar, Desert Fir, Desert Pine
- Synonyms: Peucephyllum schottii
- Family: Asteraceae (Aster or Sunflower)
- Genus Information:
Peucephyllum schottii
Schott’s Pygmy Cedar
It is not a cedar, fir, or pine, but a member of the aster family, Asteraceae. It is a leafy evergreen shrub with glandular, resinous foliage. Dark green leaves are absent below (denuded) and leafy above. The leaves are like fir-needles or narrowly linear, gland-dotted. It flowers in yellow flower heads which have only disc florets. Blooms are often triggered by rainfall, particularly after summer and winter rainfall. The fruits are woody, bristly seeds with a pappus.
