Layia discoidea

Rayless layia

Family: Asteraceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Rayless layia is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in south-central inner Coast Ranges in Fresno and San Benito counties within chaparral, rocky outcrops, and serpentine habitats at elevations of 800 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from April to June, this diminutive plant produces yellow disk flowers without ray flowers, creating distinctive discoid heads. Growing with delicate glandular stems 3 to 20 centimeters tall, it forms low, compact clusters in rocky terrain. Its leaves are slender and variable, ranging from linear to lanceolate, with basal rosette leaves having subtle lobes less than halfway to the midvein. The plant produces an unusual fruit with 8 to 15 irregular, often notched white to brownish scales that provide unique identification characteristics.

Habitat: Chaparral, talus, outcrops, rocky soil, serpentine, graywacke

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: 800-1600 m

Bioregions: SCoRI (Fresno, San Benito cos.).

California counties: San Benito

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