Hypochaeris glabra

Smooth cat's-ear

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

Smooth cat's-ear is a naturalized perennial found in the California Floristic Province in disturbed areas, grasslands, and open woodlands at elevations below 1,630 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces yellow flowers in heads 8 to 16 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 10 to 60 centimeters tall emerging from a thin taproot, it spreads in loose clusters. Its leaves are 2 to 10 centimeters long, ranging from entire to shallowly lobed, occasionally featuring minutely toothed edges. The fruit is characterized by distinctive pappus bristles that are densely feathery in the lower third and lightly plumose throughout.

Habitat: Common. Disturbed areas, grassland, open woodland

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 1630 m

Bioregions: CA-FP

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