Chaenactis parishii
Parish's chaenactis, Parish's Chaenactis
(c) Abraham Sánchez Romero, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3
Chaenactis parishii (Parish's chaenactis) is a native California subshrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by shrubby growth form.
Parish's chaenactis is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native shrub found in the eastern Peninsular Ranges, specifically in the San Jacinto Mountains and Cuyamaca Peak area, in rocky to sandy openings of chaparral and woodland at elevations of 1,300 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white to pale pink flowers in small clusters, with delicate disc-like heads. Growing with multiple branching stems 20 to 40 centimeters tall, it features a distinctive felty, white-hairy appearance that gives the plant a soft, grayish texture. Its leaves are pinnately lobed with 2 to 5 pairs of flat, deltate-shaped blade segments, typically 1 to 5 centimeters long and covered in gland-pitted hairs. The fruit is 6 to 8 millimeters long, topped with a pappus of 10 to 16 scales arranged in 3 to 4 nearly equal series.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; key feature is shrubby growth form
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky to sandy openings in chaparral, woodland
Elevation: 1300-2500 m
Outside California: to northern Baja California
Bloom period
Chaenactis parishii blooms May-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.3
How to tell it apart
vs Eriophyllum: Eriophyllum has obvious yellow ray flowers; Chaenactis completely lacks rays; vs Lasthenia: Lasthenia has bright yellow rays; Chaenactis rayless with white/purple tubular flowers only; vs Malacothrix: Malacothrix has all strap-shaped flowers and milky sap; Chaenactis all tubular, clear sap; vs Eriogonum: Eriogonum flowers have 6 segments in ball-like clusters; Chaenactis typical composite heads; vs Uropappus: Uropappus has all strap-shaped yellow flowers; Chaenactis all tubular white/purple flowers
Frequently asked questions
Is Chaenactis parishii native to California?
Yes. Chaenactis parishii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Chaenactis parishii bloom?
Chaenactis parishii blooms May-Jul.
What plant family does Chaenactis parishii belong to?
Chaenactis parishii is in the Asteraceae family, genus Chaenactis.
Is Chaenactis parishii rare or endangered?
Chaenactis parishii carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.3, state rank S3.
What habitat does Chaenactis parishii grow in?
Chaenactis parishii grows in Rocky to sandy openings in chaparral, 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.