Acamptopappus shockleyi
Shockley's goldenhead
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jim Morefield · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Acamptopappus shockleyi (Shockley's goldenhead) is a native California subshrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by presence of ray flowers vs absence.
Shockley's goldenhead is a California native shrub found in the eastern Sierra Nevada and northeastern Mojave Desert on mesas, slopes, ridges, ravines, and washes at elevations of 500 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces golden yellow ray flowers with small disk flowers in heads 7 to 10 millimeters wide. Growing with decumbent to ascending stems generally less than 40 centimeters tall, it forms a low, spreading habit with minutely hairy branches. Its leaves are densely hairy, oblanceolate, and narrow, measuring up to 2.5 centimeters long and 4 millimeters wide. The compact golden flower heads, typically solitary, feature 5 to 14 ray flowers and 30 to 80 disk flowers, creating a delicate botanical display.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; distinguished by presence of ray flowers vs absence
Habitat and range
Habitat: Mesas, slopes, ridges, ravines, washes
Elevation: 500-2000 m
Outside California: southern Nevada
Bloom period
Acamptopappus shockleyi blooms Apr-Jun.
Frequently asked questions
Is Acamptopappus shockleyi native to California?
Yes. Acamptopappus shockleyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Acamptopappus shockleyi bloom?
Acamptopappus shockleyi blooms Apr-Jun.
What plant family does Acamptopappus shockleyi belong to?
Acamptopappus shockleyi is in the Asteraceae family, genus Acamptopappus.
What habitat does Acamptopappus shockleyi grow in?
Acamptopappus shockleyi grows in Mesas, slopes, ridges, ravines, washes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.