Deinandra arida
Red rock tarplant
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Deinandra arida (Red rock tarplant) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
Red rock tarplant is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in the western Mojave Desert Mountains, specifically in the El Paso Mountains and eastern Kern County, in washes, canyon slopes, and near springs at elevations of 600 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to November, this plant produces deep yellow ray flowers 5 to 7 millimeters long in clustered heads with distinctive glandular bracts. Growing 20 to 80 centimeters tall with branching stems, it forms open panicle-like clusters of flower heads. Its proximal leaves are toothed to entire, bristly, and coarse-hairy with stalked glandular surfaces. The plant has 17 to 25 disk flowers, with most being staminate and featuring yellow to brownish anthers.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Washes, canyon slopes, edges of springs, seeps
Elevation: 600-1000 m
California counties: Kern
Bloom period
Deinandra arida blooms Apr-Nov.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Hemizonia: Deinandra rays pure yellow; Hemizonia rays often purple-veined beneath.; vs Holocarpha: Deinandra stalk bracts lack pit glands; Holocarpha has distinctive pit-gland tips.; vs Madia: Deinandra ray fruits with beaks; Madia ray fruits enclosed by phyllaries, different appearance.; vs Eriophyllum: Deinandra is resinous/sticky; Eriophyllum is woolly-hairy, not sticky.; vs Layia: Deinandra lacks ray pappus scales; Layia has prominent white/tan pappus bristles on ray flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Deinandra arida native to California?
Yes. Deinandra arida is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Deinandra arida bloom?
Deinandra arida blooms Apr-Nov.
Where in California does Deinandra arida grow?
Deinandra arida occurs in Kern, at elevations of 600-1000 m.
What plant family does Deinandra arida belong to?
Deinandra arida is in the Asteraceae family, genus Deinandra.
Is Deinandra arida rare or endangered?
Deinandra arida carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S1.
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.