Glyptopleura marginata
Carved seed
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Glyptopleura marginata (Carved seed) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by . Key features: conspicuous white crust-like leaf margins, outer phyllaries crust-like throughout, white to cream ligules.
Carved seed is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert regions in sandy or rocky desert habitats, often with alkaline soils, at elevations of 600 to 2,100 meters. Flowering from April to July, this delicate plant produces white to cream-colored ligule flowers in small clusters with distinctive crust-like phyllary margins. Growing with compact stems 1 to 6 centimeters tall, it forms low, spreading clusters across arid landscapes. Its leaves are small, measuring 0.5 to 5 centimeters long, with conspicuous white, crust-like margins that provide a unique textural quality. The plant's compact form and pale, crusty leaf edges make it well-adapted to harsh desert environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Key features: conspicuous white crust-like leaf margins, outer phyllaries crust-like throughout, white to cream ligules
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy or rocky deserts, often in alkaline soils
Elevation: 600-2100 m
Outside California: to Oregon, Idaho, Utah
Bloom period
Glyptopleura marginata blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Munzothamnus: Munzothamnus is a woody shrub; Glyptopleura is a low desert annual.; vs Hieracium: Hieracium is densely long-hairy; Glyptopleura has white-hardened leaf margins as the key feature.; vs Malacothrix: Malacothrix has soft leaf margins; Glyptopleura has distinctive white-hardened leaf edges.; vs Taraxacum: Taraxacum has soft-margined leaves; Glyptopleura has white-hardened cartilaginous leaf margins.; vs Agoseris: Agoseris has soft leaf margins; Glyptopleura has white-hardened leaf edges you can feel.
Frequently asked questions
Is Glyptopleura marginata native to California?
Yes. Glyptopleura marginata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Glyptopleura marginata bloom?
Glyptopleura marginata blooms Apr-Jul.
What plant family does Glyptopleura marginata belong to?
Glyptopleura marginata is in the Asteraceae family, genus Glyptopleura.
What habitat does Glyptopleura marginata grow in?
Glyptopleura marginata grows in Sandy or rocky deserts, often in alkaline soils.
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.