Layia chrysanthemoides
Smooth tidy tips
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Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Layia chrysanthemoides (Smooth tidy tips) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by glandless condition and paleate receptacle are key.
Smooth tidy tips is a California native annual found in northern coastal, Coast Range, and Central Valley bioregions in grassy or open heavy soils at elevations below 800 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces white ray flowers with yellow bases and yellow to light yellow disk flowers in heads 4 to 14 millimeters wide. Growing 4 to 53 centimeters tall with glandless stems, it spreads in delicate, upright clusters. Its leaves are linear to lanceolate, often scabrous-ciliate, with proximal leaves frequently lobed nearly to the midvein. The ray fruits are glabrous, with disk flowers featuring unequal white to brown awns 1 to 4 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species; glandless condition and paleate receptacle are key
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassy or open heavy soil, sometimes +- alkaline
Elevation: < 800 m
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Layia chrysanthemoides blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Madia: Layia has prominent feathery seed bristles 2-4mm; Madia has tiny or no seed bristles.; vs Glebionis: Layia has feathery white seed plumes; Glebionis has yellow-orange rays and no seed plumes.; vs Deinandra: Layia has fluffy feathery seed bristles; Deinandra has straight, non-feathery bristles.; vs Monoptilon: Layia has 2-4mm feathery bristles; Monoptilon has shorter non-feathery bristles.; vs Hemizonia: Layia has prominent feathery seed plumes; Hemizonia has short non-feathery bristles or scales.
Frequently asked questions
Is Layia chrysanthemoides native to California?
Yes. Layia chrysanthemoides is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Layia chrysanthemoides bloom?
Layia chrysanthemoides blooms Mar-Jun.
What plant family does Layia chrysanthemoides belong to?
Layia chrysanthemoides is in the Asteraceae family, genus Layia.
What habitat does Layia chrysanthemoides grow in?
Layia chrysanthemoides grows in Grassy or open heavy soil, sometimes +- alkaline.
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.