Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora
Erect dwarf cudweed
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora (Erect dwarf cudweed) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by cylindrical heads and serpentine habitat.
Erect dwarf cudweed is a California native annual found in southern North Coast Ranges, central Sierra Nevada Foothills, Delta area of the Great Valley, Central Western California, Channel Islands, and western Peninsular Ranges at elevations of 10 to 1,000 meters in open, clay and serpentine soils. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces small white flowers in compact heads rarely exceeding 4.5 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 8 to 17 centimeters tall, ranging from green to grayish in color and appearing delicate. Its leaves are distinctively oblanceolate to obovate, silky and cobwebby in texture, with the largest leaves measuring 13 to 32 millimeters long and 4 to 8 millimeters wide. The plant is commonly found in disturbed or serpentine landscapes, thriving in challenging soil conditions.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; distinguished by cylindrical heads and serpentine habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Open, clay and/or rocky, generally serpentine soil
Elevation: 10-1000 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Marin, San Benito, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Solano, Colusa, Sonoma, Alameda, Butte, Contra Costa, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Merced, Yolo, Santa Cruz, Lake, Ventura, San Diego
Bloom period
Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Ancistrocarphus: Hesperevax has erect, flat, blunt-tipped bracts; Ancistrocarphus has inward-hooked spine-like tips.; vs Filago: Hesperevax has heads nestled in leaf clusters; Filago has cone-shaped heads on visible stems.; vs Logfia: Hesperevax has flat-tipped erect bracts; Logfia has mushroom-shaped heads with spreading outer bracts.; vs Stylocline: Hesperevax has enlarged flat-tipped bracts; Stylocline has tiny heads hidden in dense woolly mats.; vs Micropus: Hesperevax lacks prominent petal-like bracts; Micropus has 4-6 conspicuous spoon-shaped outer bracts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora native to California?
Yes. Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora bloom?
Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora grow?
Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora occurs in Los Angeles, Marin, San Benito, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and other counties, at elevations of 10-1000 m.
What plant family does Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora belong to?
Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora is in the Asteraceae family, genus Hesperevax.
What habitat does Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora grow in?
Hesperevax sparsiflora var. sparsiflora grows in Common. Open, clay and/or rocky, generally serpentine soil.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Hesperevax acaulis — Dwarf evax
- Hesperevax acaulis var. acaulis — Stemless evax
- Hesperevax acaulis var. ambusticola — Fire evax
- Hesperevax acaulis var. robustior — Big evax
- Hesperevax caulescens — Hogwallow starfish
- Hesperevax sp.
- Heteranthemis sp.
- Heteranthemis viscidihirta — Sand chrysanthemum
- Heterotheca grandiflora — Telegraph weed
- Heterotheca monarchensis — Monarch goldenaster
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.