Grindelia fraxinipratensis
Ash meadows gumplant, Ash Meadows Gumplant
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2 · Threatened
Grindelia fraxinipratensis (Ash meadows gumplant) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by clear size differences in flower heads and ray count.
Ash meadows gumplant is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in eastern Mojave Desert bioregions in wet clay meadows and woodland edges near alkaline springs at approximately 700 meters elevation. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces yellow ray flowers with green-tipped phyllaries in heads 5 to 9 millimeters wide. Growing 50 to 120 centimeters tall with erect, branched stems throughout, it forms an upright and spreading habit. Its oblanceolate to oblong leaves are dark green to yellow-green, glabrous and resinous, ranging from 1 to 8 centimeters long and either entire or slightly serrate. The fruit is 2.5 to 4 millimeters long, typically white to golden-brown with truncate tops and two small pappus awns.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; clear size differences in flower heads and ray count
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet clay of meadows, woodland edges near alkaline springs
Elevation: +- 700 m.
California counties: Inyo, Modoc
Outside California: Nevada
Bloom period
Grindelia fraxinipratensis blooms Jul-Oct.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2 · Threatened
How to tell it apart
vs Heterotheca: Grindelia has sticky gummy bracts; Heterotheca has dry, non-sticky bracts and spreading hairs on stems.; vs Agoseris: Grindelia has ray and disc flowers; Agoseris has only strap-shaped ligulate flowers (dandelion-like).; vs Erigeron: Grindelia has gummy sticky bracts; Erigeron has dry bracts and typically 50+ very narrow rays.; vs Solidago: Grindelia has large sticky-bracted heads; Solidago has tiny non-sticky heads in dense branched clusters.; vs Deinandra: Grindelia bracts curl backward and are gummy; Deinandra has spine-tipped bracts and is a tarweed.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grindelia fraxinipratensis native to California?
Yes. Grindelia fraxinipratensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Grindelia fraxinipratensis bloom?
Grindelia fraxinipratensis blooms Jul-Oct.
Where in California does Grindelia fraxinipratensis grow?
Grindelia fraxinipratensis occurs in Inyo, Modoc, at elevations of +- 700 m..
What plant family does Grindelia fraxinipratensis belong to?
Grindelia fraxinipratensis is in the Asteraceae family, genus Grindelia.
Is Grindelia fraxinipratensis rare or endangered?
Grindelia fraxinipratensis carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, 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.