Baccharis vanessae

Encinitas baccharis

Family: Asteraceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Threatened

Encinitas baccharis is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native shrub found in southern Coastal California and northwestern Peninsular Ranges in San Diego County, occurring in chaparral and Torrey-pine forest understory at elevations of 60 to 300 meters. Flowering from August to December, this plant produces small white flower heads in loose, open clusters with delicate, reflexed phyllaries. Growing as a compact, broom-like shrub less than 2 meters tall with dense, erect branches, it develops a distinctive architectural form with often leafless flowering stems. Its thread-like to linear leaves are sessile, extremely narrow (1 to 3 millimeters wide), slightly fleshy, and dotted with resin glands. The fruit is small, 2 to 3 millimeters long, with a pappus 7 to 10 millimeters in length that aids in wind dispersal.

Habitat: Chaparral, including Torrey-pine forest understory

Bloom period: Aug-Dec

Elevation: 60-300 m

Bioregions: s SCo, nw 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.