Laphamia megalocephala
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Laphamia megalocephala is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family.
Laphamia megalocephala is a California native shrub found in desert regions at elevations between 100 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from spring to summer, this plant produces small discoid flower heads clustered in loose arrangements, without ray flowers. Growing with multiple much-branched stems 15 to 90 centimeters tall and emerging from a woody base, it has a dense, short-rough-hairy appearance. Its leaves are generally alternate, measuring 7 to 15 millimeters long and 1 to 10 millimeters wide, ranging from elliptic to widely ovate with entire or slightly serrated margins. The fruits are small, 2.5 to 3 millimeters long, with rounded or slightly angled surfaces covered in fine puberulent hairs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Laphamia megalocephala native to California?
Yes. Laphamia megalocephala is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Laphamia megalocephala belong to?
Laphamia megalocephala is in the Asteraceae family, genus Laphamia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.