The woolly devil, a new sunflower species discovered in Texas's Big Bend National Park, stands out for its small size, pale coloring, and adaptable camouflage. Initially mistaken for a common plant, its distinct characteristics warranted classification into a new genus, a rare achievement among flowering plants. Discovered by park volunteer Deb Manley and validated by experts, this finding enriches the already diverse Asteraceae family, demonstrating the ecological richness of the region and the ongoing potential for botanical discoveries.
The so-called woolly devil is tiny, pale and well camouflaged amid limestone-rich rocks... it was a species not yet known to scientists.
It was so unique that it actually needed to have its own genus, and that's a very rare thing.
Sunflowers are part of the most diverse family among flowering plants, Asteraceae, which contains more than 30,000 formally described species.
Any one of their blooms is made up of ray flowers... and disc flowers that fill the inner ring of the flower head.
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