Leptosyne maritima
Sea dahlia
(c) Roberto Daniel Avila, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Roberto Daniel Avila · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Leptosyne maritima (Sea dahlia) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by perennial habit and coastal habitat.
Sea dahlia is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in southern San Diego County seabluffs at elevations below 20 meters. Flowering from February to June, this plant produces yellow ray flowers 25 to 40 millimeters long in heads with 15 to 20 rays arranged in small clusters of 2 to 4. Growing 30 to 80 centimeters tall with stout, hollow, much-branched stems emerging from a fleshy taproot, it develops a distinctive branching structure. Its alternate leaves are fleshy and 2 to 3-pinnately divided, with narrow linear lobes 1.5 to 50 millimeters long. The fruit is 6 to 7 millimeters long, dark brown, with a narrow thin wing and no pappus.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; perennial habit and coastal habitat are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Seabluffs
Elevation: < 20 m
California counties: San Diego
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Leptosyne maritima blooms Feb-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Monolopia: Two distinct bract layers (outer leafy, inner thin) vs. single series of equal bracts.; vs Glebionis: Fertile ray flowers (make seeds) vs. sterile rays in crown daisy.; vs Encelia: Herbaceous to shrubby but not exclusively woody vs. always woody shrub.; vs Lasthenia: Large flower heads on individual stems vs. small heads often clustered in goldfields.; vs Coreopsis: Alternate or basal leaves vs. opposite leaves in Coreopsis.
Frequently asked questions
Is Leptosyne maritima native to California?
Yes. Leptosyne maritima is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Leptosyne maritima bloom?
Leptosyne maritima blooms Feb-Jun.
Where in California does Leptosyne maritima grow?
Leptosyne maritima occurs in San Diego, at elevations of < 20 m.
What plant family does Leptosyne maritima belong to?
Leptosyne maritima is in the Asteraceae family, genus Leptosyne.
Is Leptosyne maritima rare or endangered?
Leptosyne maritima carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.2, state rank S1S2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Leptosyne sp. — Tickseed
- Leptosyne stillmanii — Stillman's coreopsis
- Leptosyne bigelovii — Bigelow coreopsis
- Leptosyne californica — California coreopsis
- Leptosyne calliopsidea — Leafy stemmed coreopsis
- Leptosyne douglasii — Douglas' coreopsis
- Lessingia arachnoidea — Crystal springs lessingia
- Lessingia germanorum — San francisco lessingia
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.