Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris
Photo: parent species Leontodon saxatilis · (c) Justin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris is a non-native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by 1 sympatric subspecies; differentiation primarily geographic with overlapping morphology.
Hawkbit is a naturalized perennial found in northern coastal California, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, Sacramento Valley, northern San Joaquin Valley, central coastal California, and San Francisco Bay Area in disturbed areas at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces yellow flowers in heads approximately 3 to 4 centimeters wide. Growing with slender, branching stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms loose rosettes in open ground. Its basal leaves are deeply lobed, narrow, and green, spreading in a flat circular pattern around the base of the plant. The plant spreads readily in disturbed landscapes, originating from European populations that have naturalized across western North America.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric subspecies; differentiation primarily geographic with overlapping morphology
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas
Elevation: < 1000 m
California counties: Nevada, Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Placer, Yuba, Mendocino, El Dorado, Plumas, Alameda, Napa, Amador, Humboldt, Sacramento, Santa Barbara
Outside California: to Oregon, native to Europe
Bloom period
Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris blooms Jun-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Hypochaeris: Hypochaeris has stem leaves and branched stems, Leontodon is all basal leaves with unbranched stalks.; vs Agoseris: Agoseris has uniform simple bristles on all seeds, Leontodon has mixed scales and feathery bristles.; vs Taraxacum: Taraxacum has uniform bristles on all seeds, Leontodon has short scales on outer seeds.; vs Crepis: Crepis has branching stems with stem leaves, Leontodon has leafless single-headed stalks.; vs Scorzoneroides: Scorzoneroides has uniform pappus on all seeds, Leontodon has dual pappus types.
Frequently asked questions
Is Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris native to California?
No. Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris bloom?
Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris blooms Jun-Oct.
Where in California does Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris grow?
Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris occurs in Nevada, Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Placer, Yuba, Mendocino and other counties, at elevations of < 1000 m.
What plant family does Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris belong to?
Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris is in the Asteraceae family, genus Leontodon.
What habitat does Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris grow in?
Leontodon saxatilis subsp. longirostris grows in Disturbed areas.
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.