Lessingia leptoclada
Sierra lessingia
(c) Justin Johnsen, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lessingia leptoclada (Sierra lessingia) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by Sierra habitat and stiff branching pattern distinctive.
Sierra lessingia is a California native annual found in the Sierra Nevada on open slopes, roadsides, woodland, and conifer forest at elevations of 150 to 2,100 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces lavender flowers with darker tube colors in hemispheric or widely obconic involucres 5 to 10 millimeters wide. Growing with erect stems 5 to 90 centimeters tall, it features long, stiffly ascending branches that are tan-colored and glabrous or sparsely hairy. Its leaves range from lanceolate or ovate cauline leaves to reduced awl-shaped bracts, with sunken glands and varying hairiness from glabrous to tomentose. The fruit is 3 to 4 millimeters long with a pappus that exceeds the fruit length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 5 species; Sierra habitat and stiff branching pattern distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open slopes, roadsides, woodland, conifer forest, occasionally on granitic soil
Elevation: 150-2100 m
Bloom period
Lessingia leptoclada blooms Jul-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 leptoclada native to California?
Yes. Lessingia leptoclada is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lessingia leptoclada bloom?
Lessingia leptoclada blooms Jul-Oct.
What plant family does Lessingia leptoclada belong to?
Lessingia leptoclada is in the Asteraceae family, genus Lessingia.
What habitat does Lessingia leptoclada grow in?
Lessingia leptoclada grows in Open slopes, roadsides, woodland, conifer forest, occasionally on granitic soil.
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.