Lasthenia californica subsp. macrantha

Perennial goldfields, Perennial Goldfields

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Perennial goldfields is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern coastal and central coastal bioregions in grasslands and coastal dunes at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering all year but most abundantly from May to August, this plant produces yellow flowers in daisy-like heads with 8 to 16 ray flowers 6 to 18 millimeters long. Growing with generally decumbent stems branched at the base, it forms low-spreading clusters up to 8.8 centimeters tall. Its leaves are linear to oblong, measuring 2.8 to 8.8 centimeters long and 1.5 to 15 millimeters wide, sometimes with 3 to 5 small teeth along the margin. The fruit is distinctive, appearing silver-gray and potentially lacking a traditional pappus.

Habitat: Grassland, dunes along immediate coast

Bloom period: All year, mostly May-Aug

Elevation: < 500 m

Bioregions: NCo, CCo.

California counties: Marin, Mendocino, Sonoma, Humboldt, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Del Norte, San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Ventura

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