Chaenactis xantiana
Fleshy pincushion, Fleshy Pincushion
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jim Morefield · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Chaenactis xantiana (Fleshy pincushion) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by fleshy leaves, long bracts, and glabrous expanded peduncles.
Fleshy pincushion is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi, southern San Joaquin Valley, southeastern South Coast Ranges, Santa Cruz Mountains, northern Transverse Ranges, Great Basin, and western Mojave Desert in open sandy habitats at elevations of 300 to 2,600 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces dirty white to pale pink flowers in small heads with flexible, recurved phyllary tips. Growing 10 to 40 centimeters tall with generally 1 to 5 branching stems, it develops a distinctive form with cobwebby gray hairs that often disappear by flowering time. Its fleshy leaves are linear to slightly elliptic, with 1 to 2 pairs of cylindric lobes, creating a delicate, wispy appearance. The fruit is 5 to 9 millimeters long, topped with a pappus of 8 unequal scales.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; key features are fleshy leaves, long bracts, and glabrous expanded peduncles
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally open loose sand, often in burns
Elevation: (100)300-2600 m
Outside California: to southeastern Oregon, western Nevada, northwestern Arizona
Bloom period
Chaenactis xantiana blooms Mar-Jul.
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 xantiana native to California?
Yes. Chaenactis xantiana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Chaenactis xantiana bloom?
Chaenactis xantiana blooms Mar-Jul.
What plant family does Chaenactis xantiana belong to?
Chaenactis xantiana is in the Asteraceae family, genus Chaenactis.
What habitat does Chaenactis xantiana grow in?
Chaenactis xantiana grows in Generally open loose sand, often in burns.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Chaenactis alpigena — Sharsmith pincushion
- Chaenactis artemisiifolia — White pincushion
- Chaenactis carphoclinia — Pebble pincushion
- Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia — Pebble pincushion
- Chaenactis carphoclinia var. peirsonii — Peirson's pincushion
- Chaenactis douglasii — Chaenactis
- Chaetadelpha sp.
- Chaetadelpha wheeleri — Wheeler's dune-broom
- Chaetopappa ericoides — Rose-heath
- Chaetopappa sp.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
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.