Gaillardia

Blanketflower
	Common Gaillardia (Gaillardia aristata)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Gaillardia
Species
	See text.

Red Dome Blanketflower (*Gaillardia pinnatifida*)

Gaillardia (Template:Pron-en),^[1] the Blanket flowers, is a genus of drought-tolerant annual and perennial plants from the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to North America and South America. It was named after M. Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th-century French magistrate who was a patron of botany. The common name refers to the inflorescence's resemblance to brightly patterned blankets made by native Americans.

Growth

These plants form wiry, branched stems with lanceolate to linear basal leaves. The plant grows to 1+1⁄2 to 2 ft (46 to 61 cm) tall, with bright daisy-like single color and bi-color blooms in shades from buff to red to brown. The flowers bloom in the summer. There are more than two dozen known species of Gaillardia.

They will grow under very harsh and dry conditions, forming mounds, 8–18 inches (20–46 centimetres) high, and will even bloom in sand along a seashore.

Uses

Gaillardia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Schinia bina (which has been recorded on G. pulchella), Schinia masoni (which feeds exclusively on G. aristata) and Schinia volupia (which feeds exclusively on G. pulchella).

Species

North American species

Gaillardia aestivalis : Lanceleaf Blanketflower
- Gaillardia aestivalis var. aestivalis : Lanceleaf Blanketflower
- Gaillardia aestivalis var. flavovirens : Lanceleaf Blanketflower
- Gaillardia aestivalis var. winkleri : Winkler's Blanketflower
Gaillardia amblyodon : Maroon Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata : Common gaillardia
Gaillardia arizonica : Arizona Blanketflower
- Gaillardia arizonica var. arizonica : Arizona Blanketflower
- Gaillardia arizonica var. pringlei : Pringle's Blanketflower
Gaillardia coahuilensis : Bandanna Daisy
Gaillardia flava : Yellow Blanketflower
Gaillardia x grandiflora [G. aristata × G. pulchella]
Gaillardia multiceps : Onion Blanketflower
- Gaillardia multiceps var. microcephala : Onion Blanketflower
- Gaillardia multiceps var. multiceps : Onion Blanketflower
Gaillardia parryi : Parry's Blanketflower
Gaillardia pinnatifida : Red Dome Blanketflower
- Gaillardia pinnatifida var. linearis : : Red Dome Blanketflower
- Gaillardia pinnatifida var. pinnatifida : Red Dome Blanketflower
Gaillardia pulchella : Firewheel
- Gaillardia pulchella var. australis : Firewheel
- Gaillardia pulchella var. picta : : Firewheel
- Gaillardia pulchella var. pulchella : Firewheel
Gaillardia spathulata : : Western Blanketflower
Gaillardia suavis : : Perfumeballs

South American species

Gaillardia cabrerae : Endemic to Lihue Calel
Gaillardia megapotamica : Boton De Oro (spanish for Golden Button)
- Gaillardia megapotamica var. radiata : Endemic to San Luis, Argentina
- Gaillardia megapotamica var. scabiosoides
Gaillardia tontalensis : Endemic to San Juan Province (Argentina)