Monolopia gracilens
Woodland woollythreads, Woodland Woollythreads
(c) Cricket Raspet, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Monolopia gracilens (Woodland woollythreads) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by branching pattern and fruit compression.
Woodland woollythreads is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in the San Francisco Bay Area and south Coast Ranges in serpentine grassland, open chaparral, and oak woodland at elevations of 100 to 1,200 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces white to pale yellow ray flowers 5 to 10 millimeters long with delicate radiate heads. Growing with erect stems that branch mostly toward the tip and spread outward, reaching up to 30 to 40 centimeters tall. Its leaves are variable, with elliptic to oblanceolate shapes that spread along the branching stems. The small disk fruits are approximately 2 millimeters long, with four distinct angles and nearly smooth surfaces.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; key features are branching pattern and fruit compression
Habitat and range
Habitat: Serpentine grassland, open chaparral, oak woodland
Elevation: 100-1200 m
Bloom period
Monolopia gracilens blooms Mar-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Lasthenia: Check ray petal backs - Monolopia has a tiny opposite lobe; Lasthenia rays lack this feature.; vs Eriophyllum: Monolopia lacks dense woolly coating; Eriophyllum is covered in white to gray wool.; vs Leptosyne: Monolopia is small annual with opposite ray lobes; Leptosyne is tall with simple rays and thread-like leaves.; vs Layia: Check ray petal backs - Monolopia has opposite lobe; Layia often has white-tipped rays without lobes.; vs Glebionis: Monolopia has tiny opposite ray lobes; Glebionis has fern-like cut leaves and simple rays.
Frequently asked questions
Is Monolopia gracilens native to California?
Yes. Monolopia gracilens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Monolopia gracilens bloom?
Monolopia gracilens blooms Mar-Jul.
What plant family does Monolopia gracilens belong to?
Monolopia gracilens is in the Asteraceae family, genus Monolopia.
Is Monolopia gracilens rare or endangered?
Monolopia gracilens carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S3.
What habitat does Monolopia gracilens grow in?
Monolopia gracilens grows in Serpentine grassland, open chaparral, oak woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.