Gamochaeta coarctata
Gray everlasting
(c) zebedeugalinha, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Gamochaeta coarctata (Gray everlasting) is a non-native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by spoon-shaped fleshy leaves with contrasting surfaces.
Gray everlasting is a naturalized annual found in northern California regions including north Sierra Nevada foothills, northern Coast Ranges, and San Joaquin Valley in disturbed areas at elevations below 1,050 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces white flower heads with purple-tipped corollas arranged in dense, continuous spike-like clusters 10 to 14 millimeters wide. Growing with decumbent-ascending stems 15 to 35 centimeters tall, covered in white, matted felty-tomentose hairs that form sheath-like coverings. Its leaves are spoon-shaped to oblanceolate-obovate, 3 to 8 centimeters long and 6 to 15 millimeters wide, with a white felty-tomentose underside and slightly fleshy texture. The involucre is cylindric or urn-shaped, 2.5 to 3 millimeters long, with purple-tinged phyllaries arranged in 4 to 5 series.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; key features are spoon-shaped fleshy leaves with contrasting surfaces
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas
Elevation: < 1050 m
Outside California: widely naturalized worldwide, native to South America
Bloom period
Gamochaeta coarctata blooms May-Aug.
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 coarctata native to California?
No. Gamochaeta coarctata is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Gamochaeta coarctata bloom?
Gamochaeta coarctata blooms May-Aug.
What plant family does Gamochaeta coarctata belong to?
Gamochaeta coarctata is in the Asteraceae family, genus Gamochaeta.
What habitat does Gamochaeta coarctata grow in?
Gamochaeta coarctata grows in Disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.