Jaumea carnosa
Fleshy jaumea
(c) Franco Folini, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Jaumea carnosa (Fleshy jaumea) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by Monotypic genus endemic to Pacific coast salt marshes; specialized halophyte.
Fleshy jaumea is a California native perennial found in coastal bioregions including northern California Coast, central California Coast, and southern California Coast in coastal salt marshes and bases of sea cliffs at elevations below 70 meters. Flowering from April to December, this plant produces yellow to pale yellow flowers in heads 1.2 to 2 centimeters long with purple-tipped involucre bracts. Growing with long, weak, trailing stems that spread along the ground, it forms low-growing mats in coastal environments. Its leaves are linear to narrowly oblong, generally 1.5 to 5 centimeters long, with bases fused around the stem and slightly obtuse tips. The fruit is small, brown, and typically 2 to 3 millimeters long with minimal or no pappus bristles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Monotypic genus endemic to Pacific coast salt marshes; specialized halophyte
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal salt marshes, bases of sea cliffs
Elevation: < 70 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, northern Baja California
Bloom period
Jaumea carnosa blooms Apr-Dec.
How to tell it apart
vs Carpobrotus: Jaumea has small daisy flowers with narrow rays; Carpobrotus has huge showy flowers with hundreds of narrow petals.; vs Salicornia: Jaumea has visible fleshy leaves and yellow daisy flowers; Salicornia looks like leafless jointed stems.; vs Batis: Jaumea has yellow daisy flowers; Batis has tiny greenish flowers in cone-like spikes.; vs Sesuvium: Jaumea has daisy flowers with separate ray petals; Sesuvium has star-shaped flowers with pink petal-like sepals.; vs Malephora: Jaumea has small yellow daisies; Malephora has large showy flowers with hundreds of thin petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Jaumea carnosa native to California?
Yes. Jaumea carnosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Jaumea carnosa bloom?
Jaumea carnosa blooms Apr-Dec.
What plant family does Jaumea carnosa belong to?
Jaumea carnosa is in the Asteraceae family, genus Jaumea.
What habitat does Jaumea carnosa grow in?
Jaumea carnosa grows in Coastal salt marshes, bases of sea cliffs.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.