Psathyrotes

"Turtleback" redirects here. For other uses, see Turtleback (disambiguation).

Psathyrotes is a genus of North American plants in the sneezeweed tribe within the sunflower family.^[3] It contains annual and perennial forbs and low subshrubs native to dry areas of southwestern North America. Common names include turtleback, brittlestem, and fanleaf.

Psathyrotes
Psathyrotes ramosissima
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Subfamily:	Asteroideae
Tribe:	Helenieae
Subtribe:	Psathyrotinae
Genus:	Psathyrotes A.Gray
Type species
Psathyrotes annua (Nutt.) A.Gray[1]
Synonyms[2]
Bulbostylis sect. Psathyrotus Nutt. Pseudobartlettia Rydb.

The plants are low, densely branching, hairy, and scaly, with a turpentine-like odor. Leaves are alternate and hairy. The Latin name of the genus (from the Greek psathurotes) refers to the brittleness of the stems.

Species^[2][4]

• Psathyrotes annua (Nutt.) Gray (annual psathyrotes, mealy rosettes, turtleback) - CA NV UT AZ ID
  • Synonyms: Bulbostylis annua Nutt.
  • Annual or perennial forb
• Psathyrotes pilifera Gray (hairy-beast turtleback, hairybeast brittlestem) - NV UT AZ
  • Annual forb
• Psathyrotes ramosissima (Torr.) Gray (velvet rosette, velvet turtleback, turtleback) - NV UT AZ CA, Baja California, Sonora
  • Synonyms: Tetradymia ramosissima Torr.
  • Annual or perennial forb or subshrub

formerly included^[2]

see Peucephyllum Psathyrotopsis Trichoptilium

• Psathyrotes incisa A.Gray - Trichoptilium incisum (A.Gray) A.Gray
• Psathyrotes purpusii Brandegee - Psathyrotopsis purpusii (Brandegee) Rydb.
• Psathyrotes scaposa A.Gray - Psathyrotopsis scaposa (A.Gray) H.Rob.
• Psathyrotes schottii (A.Gray) A.Gray - Peucephyllum schottii A.Gray