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Crocanthemum nashii (Britton)Barnhart
Florida Scrub Frostweed
Synonym(s): Helianthemum nashii Britton
Florida native
A frequent low-growing wildflower of scrub in much of the Florida peninsula, except the extreme southern tip. In 1997 a disjunct population was discovered in New Hanover County, North Carolina.
Unlike most of the other species in this genus, C. nashii has flowers that are in a thyrse, a branching inflorescence that matures from the bottom upward. At least the upper half of the ovary and fruit are densely stellate-pubescent. Florida scrub frostweed also lacks basal leaves. The alternate leaves are oblanceolate-elliptic to lanceolate-elliptic, with very short (1-3mm) petioles, blades 5-38mm (2/10 to 1-1/2 in.) long, 3-8.4mm (1/8 - 1/3 in.) wide and with the lower surface densely stellate-tomentose.
Previously considered Helianthemum nashii, the genus has been split with the Old World species having opposite leaves with stipules remaining in the genus Helianthemum and New World species with alternate leaves without stipules now members of the genus Crocanthemum.
Crocanthemum nashii is a member of the Cistaceae - Rock-rose family.
Other species of the Crocanthemum genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Crocanthemum carolinianum - CAROLINA FROSTWEED
Crocanthemum corymbosum - PINEBARREN FROSTWEED
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Jun 30, 2024
