Eatonella nivea
White eatonella
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eatonella nivea (White eatonella) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by Small genus with limited distribution in western North America; represents a specialized adaptation to arid intermountain conditions.
White eatonella is a California native annual found in the Great Basin in sagebrush scrub on sandy or volcanic soil at elevations of 1,250 to 2,900 meters. Flowering from May to July, this tiny plant produces light yellow flowers in small heads that often dry to a purplish color. Growing with a densely tomentose stem just 1 to 4 centimeters tall, it forms a congested, compact growth habit with crowded leaves. Its leaves are primarily basal and alternate, linear to obovate, and generally less than 1 centimeter long. The fruit is distinctive, with black and shiny surfaces and white-haired margins that create an intricate fringe around each small seed.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Small genus with limited distribution in western North America; represents a specialized adaptation to arid intermountain conditions
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy or volcanic soil, sagebrush scrub
Elevation: 1250-2900 m
Outside California: southeastern Oregon, southwestern Idaho, western Nevada
Bloom period
Eatonella nivea blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Lasthenia: Eatonella has dense woolly coating and 2-scale pappus; Lasthenia lacks dense wool and has different pappus.; vs Amblyopappus: Eatonella is densely woolly white; Amblyopappus is hairless with sticky dots on surfaces.; vs Eriophyllum: Eatonella has compressed flattened fruits; Eriophyllum has cylindrical or club-shaped fruits.; vs Constancea: Eatonella forms dense white woolly cushions; Constancea lacks the dense woolly coating.; vs Hymenoxys: Eatonella is Great Basin woolly cushion with 2 pappus scales; Hymenoxys has different structure.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eatonella nivea native to California?
Yes. Eatonella nivea is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eatonella nivea bloom?
Eatonella nivea blooms May-Jul.
What plant family does Eatonella nivea belong to?
Eatonella nivea is in the Asteraceae family, genus Eatonella.
What habitat does Eatonella nivea grow in?
Eatonella nivea grows in Sandy or volcanic soil, sagebrush scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.