Achyrachaena sp.
Blow-wives, Blow-Wives
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Annual · Variable; species dependent
Achyrachaena sp. (Blow-wives) is a non-native California annual in the Asteraceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Uropappus: Achyrachaena has 10 blunt papery scales; Uropappus has 5 pointed scales with long bristly tails.; vs Microseris: Achyrachaena has 10 large blunt scales; Microseris has numerous silvery feathery bristles.; vs Madia: Achyrachaena has 10 large papery scales crowning fruits; Madia has tiny bristles or scales.; vs Hypochaeris: Achyrachaena has 10 blunt scales; Hypochaeris has dandelion-like feathery plumes.; vs Marshallia: Achyrachaena has ray flowers; Marshallia lacks ray flowers entirely.
Frequently asked questions
Is Achyrachaena sp. native to California?
No. Achyrachaena sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Achyrachaena sp. belong to?
Achyrachaena sp. is in the Asteraceae family, genus Achyrachaena.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.