Malacothrix saxatilis var. implicata

Cliff aster

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Cliff aster is a California native perennial found in the northern Channel Islands, particularly on San Nicolas Island, in clay flats and rocky canyon slopes at elevations below 330 meters. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces white to lavender daisy-like flowers in open clusters with ray and disk flowers. Growing with slender stems 15 to 45 centimeters tall, it emerges from an underground rhizome with a low, spreading growth habit. Its distinctive leaves are intricately 2-pinnately divided, featuring linear leaf segments with blunt tips that create a delicate, lacy appearance. The plant is generally glabrous to lightly hairy, allowing it to blend subtly into its rocky island habitat.

Habitat: +- Clay flats or rocky, canyon slopes

Bloom period: Apr-Aug

Elevation: < 330 m

Bioregions: n ChI, s ChI (San Nicolas Island).

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.