What's that yellow flower?

Photo by Ned Harris, 11/2/11

This question is usually answered (by me, anyway) with the letters DYC (Damn Yellow Composite). Alison, my mentor in the naturalist program, gave me that face-saving tip. There are, indeed, a lot of yellow flowers in the Asteraceae Family (still known also as the Compositae Family), commonly known as the aster, daisy, or sunflower family. Feel free, therefore, to answer yellow flower questions with DYA, DYD, DYS; or use all for Damn Yellow CADS.

Fortunately, though, I've learned a flower or two in the past year and can identify this particular cad as a Bur Marigold (Bidens aurea). The photo I used to verify this comes from "the best wildflower book ever" (that's a direct quote from my Honey-Matt), namely: MountainWildflowers of Southern Arizona by Frank S. Rose, from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Press (pg. 17). The cover is unassuming; the content is outstanding. (Joan Tedford served as Mr. Rose's botanical advisor.) Get one today!