At its best in sandy desert soil, paperflower is a compact, shrubby
plant about 1 foot high, with tangled branches. When fully developed it
is symmetrically globular in outline. It prefers mesas and desert plains
at elevations between 2,000 and 5,000 feet from western New Mexico to
southern California and northern Mexico, flowering throughout the year
but most abundantly in springtime. Sometimes called “paper-daisy,” the
flowers are persistent, fading to straw color and turning papery with
age. They may remain on the stems for weeks.
_Psilostrophe cooperi_ Sunflower Family
[Illustration: PAPERFLOWER]