Microseris douglasii subsp. platycarpha
Small-flowered microseris, Small-Flowered Microseris
Family: Asteraceae · Type: annual · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Small-flowered microseris is a California native annual found in central and southern California coastal areas, southern Channel Islands, and Peninsular Ranges in grasslands and clay soils near vernal pools or serpentine outcrops at elevations below 1,100 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces small yellow flowers in heads with delicate, narrow petals. Growing with slender stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it emerges quickly in spring grassland habitats. Its leaves are narrow and deeply lobed, typically 5 to 15 centimeters long, forming basal rosettes with finely dissected margins. The fruit is distinctive, with narrow 3 to 4.5 millimeter long achenes that are widest at the tip and crowned with curved pappus scales.
Habitat: Clay soils, grassland, often near vernal pools or serpentine outcrops
Bloom period: Mar-May
Elevation: < 1100 m
Bioregions: c&s SCo, s ChI, PR
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.