Chorizanthe cuspidata var. villosa

Woolly-headed spineflower, Woolly-Headed Spineflower

Family: Polygonaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Woolly-headed spineflower is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern Central Coast in sandy habitats at elevations below 60 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces delicate white flowers in intricate involucre clusters with straight awns. Growing with spreading or ascending stems reaching 1 to 5 centimeters tall, it exhibits a low-growing and delicate growth form. Its leaves are relatively narrow, measuring 1 to 5 centimeters long and 0.4 to 1 centimeter wide, with distinctive branching patterns. The plant produces small fruits approximately 2.5 to 3 millimeters in length, highlighting its diminutive yet intricate botanical structure.

Habitat: Sand

Bloom period: May-Aug

Elevation: < 60 m

Bioregions: n CCo.

California counties: Marin, Sonoma, Monterey

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.