Holocarpha virgata subsp. virgata

Family: Asteraceae · Type: annual · Native

Slender tarweed is a California native annual herb found in the northern Coast Ranges, southern California Ranges, northern and central Sierra Nevada Foothills, Central Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, central and southern Coast Ranges, central and southern California Coast, and Peninsular Ranges at elevations up to 800 meters. Flowering from May to November, this plant produces yellow flowers with brownish centers in compact clusters atop rigid branches. Growing with straight, somewhat rigid stems that range from delicate to moderately branched, it forms an open, airy structure typical of California grassland annuals. Its leaves are relatively narrow and sparse, contributing to the plant's delicate appearance. In late summer, the plant develops small, dry fruits that help disperse its seeds across its native grassland habitats.

Habitat: Grassland

Bloom period: May-Nov

Elevation: < 800(1100) m

Bioregions: NCoRI, s CaRF, n&ampc SNF, GV, SnFrB (mostly e), c SCoRO, SCoRI, c&amps SCo, PR (exc SnJt).

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.