Lessingia nemaclada
Slender stemmed lessingia
(c) Chaye Vail, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lessingia nemaclada (Slender stemmed lessingia) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by combination of white flowers and mixed gland types distinctive.
Slender stemmed lessingia is a California native annual found in northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, and southern coastal ranges in open fields, roadsides, and woodland borders at elevations of 50 to 2,100 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces white to pale lavender flowers with darker tube color in small clusters. Growing with erect, branching stems 5 to 60 centimeters tall that range from tan to brown and can be sparsely hairy or glandular. Its cauline leaves are small, 0.2 to 3 centimeters long, lanceolate, and often feature sunken or stalked glands. The flower heads have distinctive lanceolate phyllaries with purple-tipped edges, creating a delicate and intricate appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 16 species; combination of white flowers and mixed gland types distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open fields, roadsides, woodland borders, occasionally on serpentine soil
Elevation: 50-2100 m
Bloom period
Lessingia nemaclada 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 nemaclada native to California?
Yes. Lessingia nemaclada is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lessingia nemaclada bloom?
Lessingia nemaclada blooms Jul-Oct.
What plant family does Lessingia nemaclada belong to?
Lessingia nemaclada is in the Asteraceae family, genus Lessingia.
What habitat does Lessingia nemaclada grow in?
Lessingia nemaclada grows in Open fields, roadsides, woodland borders, occasionally on serpentine 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.