Aldama purisimae

La purisima aldama, La Purisima Viguiera

Family: Asteraceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

La purisima aldama is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native shrub found in San Diego County in coastal-sage scrub at elevations below 750 meters. Flowering from April to October, this plant produces bright yellow ray flowers 10 to 12 millimeters long in radiate heads clustered in flat-topped arrangements. Growing as an openly branched shrub up to 12 decimeters tall with scabrous gray stems, it has a distinctive branching structure. Its leaves are primarily opposite, with elliptic to widely obovate blades 2 to 6 centimeters long, featuring three prominent veins and strigose surfaces. The plant produces distinctive yellow disk flowers with brown anthers and develops small obovate fruits with a crown of scales and two awn-like appendages.

Habitat: Coastal-sage scrub

Bloom period: Apr-Oct

Elevation: < 750 m

Bioregions: PR (San Diego Co.)

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.