Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera
Sticky lessingia
Photo: parent species Lessingia glandulifera · (c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera (Sticky lessingia) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by bead-like sessile glands on leaf margins diagnostic.
Sticky lessingia is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada, southern San Joaquin Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, southwestern California, southeastern Sierra Nevada, and western Mojave Desert regions in chaparral, pine forest, and desert habitats at elevations of 50 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from May to October, this plant produces yellow flowers in heads with 12 to 30 blooms. Growing with slender stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it has herbage that ranges from glabrous to slightly hairy or tomentose. Its leaves are small, measuring 0.2 to 2 centimeters long, with a delicate, sparse appearance. The flower heads feature phyllaries that are sparsely hairy, giving the plant a soft, textured appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 12 sympatric species; bead-like sessile glands on leaf margins diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Chaparral, pine forest, desert, generally sandy soil
Elevation: 50-2200 m
Outside California: western Nevada, northwestern Arizona, northern Baja California
Bloom period
Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera blooms May-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Palafoxia: Lessingia fruits tiny (2-4mm); Palafoxia fruits massive (10-15mm) - check seed size first; vs Pectis: Pectis has opposite leaves with oil glands; Lessingia has alternate leaves without glands; vs Deinandra: Deinandra flower heads very gummy/sticky; Lessingia merely hairy or minutely glandular; vs Stephanomeria: Stephanomeria has milky sap and all ligulate flowers; Lessingia has clear sap and disk flowers; vs Epilobium: Epilobium has 4 petals in a cross pattern; Lessingia has typical composite flower heads
Frequently asked questions
Is Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera native to California?
Yes. Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera bloom?
Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera blooms May-Oct.
What plant family does Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera belong to?
Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera is in the Asteraceae family, genus Lessingia.
What habitat does Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera grow in?
Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera grows in Chaparral, pine forest, desert, generally sandy soil.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Lessingia glandulifera var. peirsonii — Peirson's lessingia
- Lessingia glandulifera var. tomentosa — Warner springs lessingia
- Lessingia hololeuca — Woolly-headed lessingia
- Lessingia leptoclada — Sierra lessingia
- Lessingia micradenia — Little glandular lessingia
- Lessingia micradenia var. glabrata — Smooth lessingia
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.