Calycadenia spicata
Spicate calycadenia
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3
Calycadenia spicata (Spicate calycadenia) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by . Key features: bracts concealing heads pre-flower, truncate bract tips, densely hairy/glandular stems distally.
Spicate calycadenia is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native annual found in the Sierra Nevada Foothills and Central Valley in dry, open meadows, hillsides, and grasslands at elevations of 50 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces white flowers aging to reddish, with 1 to 5 ray flowers up to 11 millimeters long arranged in compact heads. Growing with stems 20 to 60 centimeters tall that are densely hairy and glandular toward the tips, it branches sparingly beyond the middle. Its leaves range 2 to 5 centimeters long, typically longest at mid-stem, with narrow, lance-like shape. The flower heads feature numerous peduncle bracts that partially conceal the developing flowers, with distinctive tack-like glands on the bracts and phyllaries.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species. Key features: bracts concealing heads pre-flower, truncate bract tips, densely hairy/glandular stems distally
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Dry, open meadows, hillsides, grassland, openings in foothill woodland
Elevation: 50-1400 m
Bloom period
Calycadenia spicata blooms May-Sep.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.3
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 spicata native to California?
Yes. Calycadenia spicata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Calycadenia spicata bloom?
Calycadenia spicata blooms May-Sep.
What plant family does Calycadenia spicata belong to?
Calycadenia spicata is in the Asteraceae family, genus Calycadenia.
Is Calycadenia spicata rare or endangered?
Calycadenia spicata carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.3, state rank S3.
What habitat does Calycadenia spicata grow in?
Calycadenia spicata grows in Common. Dry, open meadows, hillsides, grassland, openings in foothill woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Calycadenia truncata — Rosin weed
- Calycadenia villosa — Dwarf calycadenia
- Calycadenia fremontii — Fremont's calycadenia
- Calycadenia hooveri — Hoover's calycadenia
- Calycadenia micrantha — Small-flowered calycadenia
- Calycadenia mollis — Soft calycadenia
- Calycoseris parryi — Yellow tack-stem
- Calycoseris sp. — Tack-stem
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.