Lessingia nana
Dwarf lessingia
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lessingia nana (Dwarf lessingia) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by prostrate growth form is unique in genus.
Dwarf lessingia is a California native annual found in northern Sierra Nevada foothills, northern Sacramento Valley, and California Ranges in open areas on plains or slopes, often on clay soil at elevations of 50 to 900 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces white to pale lavender flowers with darker tube color in small tight clusters at stem tips. Growing with decumbent stems 2 to 5 centimeters tall, occasionally reaching 25 centimeters, covered in tan woolly texture. Its lance-shaped leaves are 0.5 to 2.5 centimeters long, entire to slightly toothed, with sunken glands obscured by dense persistent wool. The fruit is 2 to 3 millimeters long with a distinctive pink to red pappus.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 2 species; prostrate growth form is unique in genus
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open areas on plains or slopes, often on clay soil
Elevation: 50-900 m
Bloom period
Lessingia nana blooms Jun-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 nana native to California?
Yes. Lessingia nana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lessingia nana bloom?
Lessingia nana blooms Jun-Oct.
What plant family does Lessingia nana belong to?
Lessingia nana is in the Asteraceae family, genus Lessingia.
What habitat does Lessingia nana grow in?
Lessingia nana grows in Open areas on plains or slopes, often on clay 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.