Flower profile
Rayless greenthread
Thelesperma megapotamicum
Rayless greenthread is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In New Mexico it's most often seen in bloom in May–September.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: New Mexico
Quick look
Thelesperma megapotamicum is a perennial, herbaceous, flowering plant in the Asteraceae family native to sections of the Americas. It is known by the common names Hopi tea greenthread, rayless greenthread, Navajo tea, cota, and greenthread.
- It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 19 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to New Mexico. NatureServe
- In New Mexico, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–September. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 587 research-grade sightings of it in New Mexico, ranking #100 among the 109 flowers on our New Mexico list. iNaturalist
Rayless greenthread gift ideas
Handmade rayless greenthread gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Rayless greenthread art print
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Rayless greenthread greeting card
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Rayless greenthread mug
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Rayless greenthread earrings
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Rayless greenthread embroidery pattern
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Rayless greenthread sticker
When does it bloom?
In New Mexico, most flowering sightings come in May–September.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- New Mexico
- Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: UT (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records rayless greenthread in 19 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wyoming.
New Mexico counties with USDA records: Bernalillo, Catron, Chaves, Cibola, Colfax, Curry, De Baca, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Guadalupe, Harding, Hidalgo, Lea, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Luna, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Quay, Rio Arriba, Roosevelt, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Socorro, Taos, Torrance, Union, Valencia.
More New Mexico flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile THME.
- iNaturalist, Thelesperma megapotamicum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Thelesperma megapotamicum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- New Mexico: New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC).
- New Mexico: New Mexico Noxious Weed List (NM Department of Agriculture, updated June 2020).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Thelesperma megapotamicum (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Teresa Jegelewicz Mayfield-Meyer via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.