General: Parish's Goldeneye (Bahiopsis parishii) is a rounded, upright shrub with yellow sunflowers that stand on stalks held above the leafy mass. The triangular leaves are mostly opposite with a rounded base and pointed tip; have three major veins that start from the base of the leaf. The leaves are somewhat hairy.

Parish's Goldeneye is an uncommon component of vegetation communities on well-drained sandy, gravelly, and rocky soils in washes and on upper bajadas and into the lower mountains in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) life zone.

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae).

Other Names: desert sunflower, Viguiera parishii.

Plant Form: Upright, spreading shrub.

Height: To about 4 feet.

Bark:

Stems: Many emerging from base of shrub; generally upright.

Leaves: Opposite, terminal leaves sometimes alternate; oblong with rounded base and pointed tip (somewhat triangular); entire or few, short teeth; to 3-inches long. Three major veins from base of leaf. Leaves hairy: upper surface sparse hairy; undersurface sparse tomentose. Petiole short.

Flowers: Blooms summer through fall. Inflorescence: flowerhead (cyme) with few flowers on a long, naked stem. Flowerhead yellow with disk and ray flowers. Ray flowers 8-15.

Seeds: Many small seeds per flowerhead; dispersed long distances by wind. Fruit: Small brown nutlet (not flattened).

Habitat: Dry, well-drained sandy, gravelly, and rocky soils on upper bajadas and moderate slopes in the lower mountains.

Elevation: About 0 to 3,000 feet.

Distribution: Mojave Desert region (California and Nevada).

Comments: This species is more common south of Las Vegas.