Monolopia stricta
Crum's monolopia
(c) Madeleine Claire, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Monolopia stricta (Crum's monolopia) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by erect branching and geographic ray length variation.
Crum's monolopia is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada foothills, Tehachapi, western and southern San Joaquin Valley, south Coast Ranges, and northern Transverse Ranges in grasslands, bare clay areas, open chaparral, and woodland at elevations of 50 to 800 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces yellow to white ray flowers 2 to 17 millimeters long, varying by region, with radiate flower heads. Growing with generally erect stems that are simple or branched throughout, it reaches a variable height with approximately erect branches. Its oblanceolate phyllaries and flower heads feature distinctive disk flowers with 5 lobes and a mix of glandular and glandless hairs. The fruit is a strigose disk fruit 2.5 to 3 millimeters long with 4 distinct angles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; diagnostic erect branching and geographic ray length variation
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassland, bare clay, open chaparral, woodland
Elevation: 50-800 m
Bloom period
Monolopia stricta blooms Feb-May.
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 stricta native to California?
Yes. Monolopia stricta is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Monolopia stricta bloom?
Monolopia stricta blooms Feb-May.
What plant family does Monolopia stricta belong to?
Monolopia stricta is in the Asteraceae family, genus Monolopia.
What habitat does Monolopia stricta grow in?
Monolopia stricta grows in Grassland, bare clay, open chaparral, woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Monolopia congdonii — San joaquin woollythreads
- Monolopia gracilens — Woodland woollythreads
- Monolopia lanceolata — Common hillside daisy
- Monolopia major — Cupped monolopia
- Monolopia sp. — Hillside daisy
- Monoptilon bellidiforme — Small desert star
- Monoptilon bellioides — Desert star
- Monoptilon sp. — Desert star
- Munzothamnus blairii — Blair's munzothamnus
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.