Isocoma acradenia var. bracteosa

Bracted alkali goldenbush

Family: Asteraceae · Type: shrub · Native

Bracted alkali goldenbush is a California native shrub found in the San Joaquin Valley, northern Central Coast, southern coastal ranges, and northwestern Mojave Desert in sandy, alkaline soils at elevations below 900 meters. Flowering from August to November, this plant produces yellow flowers in compact clusters subtended by distinctive bracts. Growing up to 90 centimeters tall with reduced, sometimes toothed leaves that grade into bract-like structures, it forms a compact and adaptable desert shrub. Its leaves are typically less than 5 centimeters long, becoming progressively smaller and more bract-like toward the plant's upper portions. The flower heads are characterized by 25 to 36 phyllaries arranged in 4 to 6 series, with blunt to acute tips that are abruptly soft-pointed.

Habitat: Sandy, alkaline soils

Bloom period: Aug-Nov

Elevation: < 900 m

Bioregions: SnJV, n CCo, SCoRI, nw DMoj.

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