Gamochaeta calviceps
Narrowleaf purple everlasting
no rights reserved, uploaded by 葉子 · CC0
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Annual · Not Native
Gamochaeta calviceps (Narrowleaf purple everlasting) is a non-native California annual in the Asteraceae family, recognized by folded linear leaves and branched habit.
Narrowleaf purple everlasting is a naturalized annual found in northern Sierra Nevada foothills, San Joaquin Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, Sierra Nevada-Cascade foothills, and Peninsular Ranges in disturbed sites at elevations of 50 to 800 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces white flower heads with distinctive purple-tipped corollas in clusters initially 2 to 4 centimeters wide. Growing 8 to 45 centimeters tall with erect-ascending stems that are felty-tomentose with silver-gray hairs arranged longitudinally, it has a branched structure throughout. Its leaves range from oblanceolate to spoon-shaped near the base, becoming linear to linear-oblanceolate higher on the stem, with felty-tomentose surfaces and blades often folded along the midvein. The plant forms spike-like head clusters that become increasingly panicle-like, with peduncles generally visible between flower heads.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; key features are folded linear leaves and branched habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed sites
Elevation: 50-800 m
Outside California: South America, Europe, New Zealand, native to southeastern United States
Bloom period
Gamochaeta calviceps blooms Jun-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Pseudognaphalium: Gamochaeta has tight spike-like flower clusters; Pseudognaphalium has open, branched clusters spreading at the stem tips.; vs Gnaphalium: Gamochaeta forms erect spikes of densely clustered heads; Gnaphalium has prostrate stems with looser, sessile flower clusters.; vs Logfia: Gamochaeta has visible flower heads in narrow spikes; Logfia has heads completely hidden within dense woolly leaf clusters.; vs Stachys: Gamochaeta has spike-like clusters of papery flower heads; Stachys has whorls of tubular lipped mint flowers on square stems.; vs Corethrogyne: Gamochaeta has tiny woolly heads in tight spikes without ray petals; Corethrogyne has obvious white or purple ray petals around each head.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gamochaeta calviceps native to California?
No. Gamochaeta calviceps is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Gamochaeta calviceps bloom?
Gamochaeta calviceps blooms Jun-Jul.
What plant family does Gamochaeta calviceps belong to?
Gamochaeta calviceps is in the Asteraceae family, genus Gamochaeta.
What habitat does Gamochaeta calviceps grow in?
Gamochaeta calviceps grows in Disturbed sites.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.