Lessingia tenuis
Spring lessingia
(c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Lessingia tenuis (Spring lessingia) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by small size and stiff branching pattern help distinguish it.
Spring lessingia is a California native annual herb ranked 4.3 by CNPS, found in coastal bioregions including San Francisco Bay, southern Coastal Ranges, and western Transverse Ranges in chaparral and woodland openings at elevations of 50 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces yellow flowers with a distinctive purple-brown band in the tube, appearing in small clusters with delicate funnel-shaped corollas. Growing with slender stems 2 to 15 centimeters tall, ranging from erect to spreading, with tan to reddish-brown branches that are glandular and sparsely hairy. Its leaves are small, measuring 0.3 to 1.5 centimeters long, ovate in shape and occasionally irregularly toothed or lobed. The tiny fruits are 2 to 3 millimeters long, accompanied by a tan pappus that is longer than the fruit itself.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 13 species; small size and stiff branching pattern help distinguish it
Habitat and range
Habitat: Openings in chaparral, woodland
Elevation: 50-2200 m
Bloom period
Lessingia tenuis blooms May-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 tenuis native to California?
Yes. Lessingia tenuis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lessingia tenuis bloom?
Lessingia tenuis blooms May-Jul.
What plant family does Lessingia tenuis belong to?
Lessingia tenuis is in the Asteraceae family, genus Lessingia.
Is Lessingia tenuis rare or endangered?
Lessingia tenuis carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S4.
What habitat does Lessingia tenuis grow in?
Lessingia tenuis grows in Openings in chaparral, woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Lessingia virgata — Wand lessingia
- Lessingia arachnoidea — Crystal springs lessingia
- Lessingia germanorum — San francisco lessingia
- Lessingia glandulifera — Valley lessingia
- Lessingia glandulifera var. glandulifera — Sticky lessingia
- Lessingia glandulifera var. peirsonii — Peirson's lessingia
- Leucanthemum lacustre — Portuguese daisy
- Leucanthemum maximum — Shasta daisy
- Leucanthemum sp.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.