Calycadenia oppositifolia
Butte county calycadenia, Butte County Calycadenia
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Calycadenia oppositifolia (Butte county calycadenia) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by . Key features: opposite leaves (unique in genus), whorled head arrangement, rays lobed to base.
Butte county calycadenia is a native annual herb found in the northern Sierra Nevada Foothill and California Ranges in open, dry meadows and foothill woodland openings at elevations of 50 to 900 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white to reddish flowers in small clusters, with ray flowers 6 to 9 millimeters long featuring central lobes that are symmetrically shaped. Growing with slender stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, the plant has a delicate appearance with sparse branching and strigose hairs. Its opposite leaves range from 1 to 5 centimeters long, becoming slightly smaller toward the stem tips. The plant forms congested axillary and terminal flower clusters with distinctive lanceolate bracts and delicate white to reddish ray flowers.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species. Key features: opposite leaves (unique in genus), whorled head arrangement, rays lobed to base
Habitat and range
Habitat: Locally common; open, dry meadows, hillsides, openings in foothill woodland
Elevation: 50-900 m
Bloom period
Calycadenia oppositifolia blooms Apr-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
How to tell it apart
vs Hemizonia: Calycadenia rays deeply fringed; Hemizonia rays shallowly lobed with ray fruits beaked.; vs Osmadenia: Calycadenia covered with tack glands; Osmadenia completely lacks sticky glands.; vs Deinandra: Calycadenia rays deeply split; Deinandra rays shallowly lobed or entire.; vs Madia: Calycadenia has tack glands and deeply split rays; Madia lacks tack glands, different ray shape.; vs Holocarpha: Calycadenia has tack glands (not pit glands); Holocarpha has pit-gland depressions on bracts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Calycadenia oppositifolia native to California?
Yes. Calycadenia oppositifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Calycadenia oppositifolia bloom?
Calycadenia oppositifolia blooms Apr-Jul.
What plant family does Calycadenia oppositifolia belong to?
Calycadenia oppositifolia is in the Asteraceae family, genus Calycadenia.
Is Calycadenia oppositifolia rare or endangered?
Calycadenia oppositifolia carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3.
What habitat does Calycadenia oppositifolia grow in?
Calycadenia oppositifolia grows in Locally common; open, dry meadows, hillsides, openings in foothill woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.