Lessingia ramulosa
Sonoma lessingia
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lessingia ramulosa (Sonoma lessingia) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by persistent basal leaves and ovate leaf shape distinctive.
Sonoma lessingia is a California native annual found in northern Coast Ranges and northern San Francisco Bay Area bioregions in open hills, chaparral, woodland, and forest, often on serpentine soil at elevations of 100 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces lavender flowers with darker tube coloration in small clusters with involucres 5 to 7 millimeters wide. Growing with erect tan stems 20 to 50 centimeters tall, it has ascending branches that are proximally tomentose and distally glandular-puberulent. Its cauline leaves are small, measuring 0.5 to 2.5 centimeters long, ovate in shape, and range from entire to toothed with stalked glands. The fruit is 3 to 4 millimeters long with a pappus longer than the fruit itself.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 12 species; persistent basal leaves and ovate leaf shape distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open hills, chaparral, woodland, forest, roadsides, often on serpentine soil
Elevation: 100-1000 m
Bloom period
Lessingia ramulosa 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 ramulosa native to California?
Yes. Lessingia ramulosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lessingia ramulosa bloom?
Lessingia ramulosa blooms Jul-Oct.
What plant family does Lessingia ramulosa belong to?
Lessingia ramulosa is in the Asteraceae family, genus Lessingia.
What habitat does Lessingia ramulosa grow in?
Lessingia ramulosa grows in Open hills, chaparral, woodland, forest, roadsides, often 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.