Agoseris monticola
Mountain agoseris
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Agoseris monticola (Mountain agoseris) is a native California perennial in the Asteraceae family, recognized by prostrate habit and distinctive lobe orientation key.
Mountain agoseris is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Warner Mountains, and White and Inyo Mountains in subalpine meadows, forest, and alpine tundra at elevations of 1,500 to 3,800 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces bright yellow flowers in heads 10 to 20 millimeters long with distinctive rosy-purple involucres. Growing with decumbent to prostrate stems 2 to 25 centimeters tall, it forms low-spreading clusters across rocky alpine terrain. Its leaves are typically 2 to 10 centimeters long, narrowly to broadly oblanceolate with 2 or more pairs of linear to oblanceolate lobes, and are often densely hairy with white or yellow translucent hairs. The fruit is a narrowly fusiform body 6 to 9 millimeters long with a short 1 to 3 millimeter beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 11 species; prostrate habit and distinctive lobe orientation key
Habitat and range
Habitat: Subalpine meadows, forest to alpine tundra, rocky slopes
Elevation: 1500-3800 m
Outside California: to Washington, Nevada
Bloom period
Agoseris monticola blooms Generally Jul-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Taraxacum: Agoseris bracts graduate gradually in size; Taraxacum has dramatically smaller outer bracts and longer one-sided pappus.; vs Hypochaeris: Agoseris has completely bractless stems; Hypochaeris often has small leafy bracts partway up the stem.; vs Microseris: Agoseris pappus bristles evenly distributed; Microseris has 5-80 white scales (not plume-like bristles).; vs Uropappus: Agoseris has plume-like bristles; Uropappus has 5 large silvery scales alternating with 5 smaller ones.; vs Leontodon: Agoseris has unbranched scapes; Leontodon often has branched stems with multiple heads.
Frequently asked questions
Is Agoseris monticola native to California?
Yes. Agoseris monticola is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Agoseris monticola bloom?
Agoseris monticola blooms Generally Jul-Aug.
What plant family does Agoseris monticola belong to?
Agoseris monticola is in the Asteraceae family, genus Agoseris.
What habitat does Agoseris monticola grow in?
Agoseris monticola grows in Subalpine meadows, forest to alpine tundra, rocky slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.