Heterotheca villosa var. minor
Hairy false goldenaster
Photo: parent species Heterotheca villosa · (c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Heterotheca villosa var. minor (Hairy false goldenaster) is a native California subshrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by small size, moderately hairy glandular leaves, glabrous corolla lobes.
Hairy false goldenaster is a California native perennial found in northern and central Sierra Nevada Mountains, Modoc Plateau in lava flows and rocky sites at elevations of 600 to 3,100 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces yellow ray flowers 4 to 10 millimeters long with white to yellow disk flowers clustered in compact heads. Growing with erect stems 10 to 35 centimeters tall, it forms a compact and relatively low-growing habit. Its mid-stem leaves are oblanceolate, moderately strigose with fine hairs, and have a glandular texture that gives the plant a distinctive soft appearance. The fruit is small, measuring 2 to 3 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; distinguished by small size, moderately hairy glandular leaves, glabrous corolla lobes
Habitat and range
Habitat: Lava flows, rocky sites
Elevation: 600-3100 m
California counties: El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Alpine, Kern, Tulare, Tuolumne, Modoc, Sierra, Placer
Bloom period
Heterotheca villosa var. minor blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Grindelia: Heterotheca has multi-layered bracts; Grindelia bracts curve backward and flower buds are sticky-resinous.; vs Isocoma: Heterotheca has conspicuous yellow ray petals; Isocoma has only disk flowers (no rays).; vs Erigeron: Heterotheca rays are yellow and 3-12mm; Erigeron rays are white/purple/pink and typically numerous.; vs Laennecia: Heterotheca has showy 3-12mm yellow rays; Laennecia has tiny inconspicuous white rays.; vs Verbascum: Heterotheca has composite flower heads with bracts; Verbascum has simple 5-petaled flowers on tall spikes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Heterotheca villosa var. minor native to California?
Yes. Heterotheca villosa var. minor is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Heterotheca villosa var. minor bloom?
Heterotheca villosa var. minor blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Heterotheca villosa var. minor grow?
Heterotheca villosa var. minor occurs in El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Alpine, Kern and other counties, at elevations of 600-3100 m.
What plant family does Heterotheca villosa var. minor belong to?
Heterotheca villosa var. minor is in the Asteraceae family, genus Heterotheca.
What habitat does Heterotheca villosa var. minor grow in?
Heterotheca villosa var. minor grows in Lava flows, rocky sites.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Heterotheca villosa var. scabra — Hairy false goldenaster
- Heterotheca grandiflora — Telegraph weed
- Heterotheca monarchensis — Monarch goldenaster
- Heterotheca oregona — Rayless goldenaster
- Heterotheca oregona var. compacta — Compact oregon goldenaster
- Heterotheca oregona var. oregona — Oregon false goldenaster
- Hieracium albiflorum — White hawkweed
- Hieracium argutum — Southern hawkweed
- Hieracium aurantiacum — Orange hawkweed
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.