Lasthenia californica
Lasthenia gracilis
California goldfields, goldfields, slender goldfields
common goldfields, needle goldfields
erect or decumbent, branched proximally or distally, ± hairy.
erect or decumbent, usually branched distally (sometimes proximally in desert forms), ± hairy (more so distally).
linear to oblanceolate or oblong, 8–210 × 1–5.5(–15) mm, (± fleshy in coastal forms) margins entire or with 3–5+ teeth, faces glabrous or ± hairy.
linear to oblanceolate, 8–40(–70) × 1–3(–6) mm, (± fleshy in coastal forms) margins entire or with 3–5+ teeth, faces ± hairy.
campanulate to depressed-hemispheric or hemispheric, 5–14 mm.
campanulate or hemispheric, 5–10 mm.
conic, muricate, glabrous.
conic, muricate, glabrous.
6–16;
laminae linear to oblong, 5–18 mm.
6–13;
laminae oblong, 5–10 mm.
(persistent or falling with cypselae) 4–16 (in 1–2 series), elliptic to ovate or lanceolate to oblong, hairy.
(persistent or falling with cypselae) 4–13 (in 1 series), ovate-lanceolate to oblong, ± hairy.
black to gray or silver-gray, linear to narrowly clavate, to 4 mm, glabrous or hairy;
pappi 0, or of 1–7 translucent (rarely opaque), brown (rarely white), linear to subulate, aristate scales.
black to gray, ± linear, to 3 mm, glabrous or hairy;
pappi usually of (2–)4(–6) opaque, white (aging to brown), ovate-lanceolate, aristate scales, sometimes 0.
appendages deltate to sublanceolate.
appendages deltate.
= 16, 32.
Lasthenia californica
Lasthenia gracilis
Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).
Plants of Lasthenia californica, especially those in coastal populations, have the largest, showiest heads in the genus. Report of L. californica from Massachusetts was not confirmed for this study
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
D. D. Keck (1959c) said of Lasthenia gracilis (as Baeria chrysostoma subsp. gracilis), “The most abundant composite in the state [of California].” It is widespread throughout California, central Arizona, the Channel Islands, Guadalupe Island, and Baja California. It is variable and is sometimes similar to L. californica subsp. californica, from which it differs in its opaque, white, ovate-lanceolate, aristate pappus scales. Coastal forms of L. gracilis tend to have shorter, wider, fleshy leaves. Lasthenia gracilis often occurs with other Lasthenia species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Annuals; coastal or inland; n California, s Oregon | subsp. californica |
1. Perennials (sometimes flowering first year); coastal; California | → 2 |
2. Roots fleshy, clustered; stems erect, branched distally; leaf blades 1–2+ mm wide | subsp. bakeri |
2. Roots usually not fleshy or clustered; stems decumbent, branched proximally; leaf blades 1.5–5.5(–15) mm wide | subsp. macrantha |
CA
OR
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
