Logfia arizonica
Arizona cottonrose
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Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Logfia arizonica (Arizona cottonrose) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by distinctive purple-black stems and glabrous condition.
Arizona cottonrose is a California native annual found in southern Southern California, southern Channel Islands, Peninsular Ranges, and western Sonoran Desert at elevations below 800 meters in locally or seasonally moist clay soils. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces small white to pale yellow flowers in compact heads approximately 4 millimeters wide. Growing with multiple forked stems 2 to 10 centimeters tall that become purplish to black, it has a delicate, branching structure. Its leaves are narrow and linear, flexible and small, with the largest leaves measuring 15 to 20 millimeters long and only 1 to 1.5 millimeters wide. The fruit develops with curved paleae arranged in distinctive vertical ranks, with outer fruits compressed and inner fruits bearing 17 to 23 small bristles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; distinctive purple-black stems and glabrous condition
Habitat and range
Habitat: Locally or seasonally moist, generally clay soils
Elevation: < 800 m
California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Orange, Butte, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Imperial
Outside California: south-central Arizona, to northwestern Mexico (including islands)
Bloom period
Logfia arizonica blooms Feb-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Stylocline: Logfia has fluffy white pappus bristles; Stylocline completely lacks them.; vs Micropus: Logfia has mushroom-shaped heads; Micropus has 4-6 prominent spoon-shaped bracts resembling petals.; vs Eriophyllum: Logfia has tiny, inconspicuous heads nestled low; Eriophyllum has showy yellow ray flowers on upright stems.; vs Gnaphalium: Logfia has mushroom-shaped heads wider than tall; Gnaphalium has cylindrical heads taller than wide.; vs Ancistrocarphus: Logfia lacks hooked spine-tipped bracts; Ancistrocarphus has distinctive inward-curved fishhook tips.
Frequently asked questions
Is Logfia arizonica native to California?
Yes. Logfia arizonica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Logfia arizonica bloom?
Logfia arizonica blooms Feb-May.
Where in California does Logfia arizonica grow?
Logfia arizonica occurs in Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Orange, Butte, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Imperial, at elevations of < 800 m.
What plant family does Logfia arizonica belong to?
Logfia arizonica is in the Asteraceae family, genus Logfia.
What habitat does Logfia arizonica grow in?
Logfia arizonica grows in Locally or seasonally moist, generally clay soils.
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.