Deinandra bacigalupii
Livermore tarplant
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1
Deinandra bacigalupii (Livermore tarplant) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
Livermore tarplant is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in the northwestern San Joaquin Valley, specifically in the Livermore Valley of eastern Alameda County, in alkaline meadows and edges of alkali barrens at elevations of 100 to 200 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces deep yellow ray flowers 2 to 4 millimeters long in flat-topped or panicle-like clusters. Growing 10 to 40 centimeters tall with an open, branching habit, it has coarse, glandular-hairy stems that become increasingly branched toward the top. Its proximal leaves are entire or irregularly lobed, covered with a mixture of coarse hairs and stalked glands that give the plant a distinctive, slightly sticky appearance. The flower heads feature both ray and disk flowers, with disk flowers producing yellow to brownish anthers and a unique fringe-edged pappus of 8 to 13 awl-shaped scales.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Alkaline meadows, edges of alkali barrens or sinks
Elevation: 100-200 m
California counties: Alameda, Contra Costa
Bloom period
Deinandra bacigalupii blooms Jun-Oct.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1
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 bacigalupii native to California?
Yes. Deinandra bacigalupii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Deinandra bacigalupii bloom?
Deinandra bacigalupii blooms Jun-Oct.
Where in California does Deinandra bacigalupii grow?
Deinandra bacigalupii occurs in Alameda, Contra Costa, at elevations of 100-200 m.
What plant family does Deinandra bacigalupii belong to?
Deinandra bacigalupii is in the Asteraceae family, genus Deinandra.
Is Deinandra bacigalupii rare or endangered?
Deinandra bacigalupii carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, 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.