Nemacaulis denudata var. denudata

Coast woolly-heads

Family: Polygonaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Coast woolly-heads is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in southern Central and Southern Coast bioregions on coastal beaches at elevations below 100 meters. Flowering from March to August, this plant produces white flowers nestled in dark red branching inflorescences with hairy clusters. Growing as a small, sprawling plant 4 to 20 centimeters tall with a wide spread of up to 80 centimeters, it forms delicate, intricate ground-covering patterns. Its leaves are relatively narrow, with blades 2 to 8 centimeters long and 3 to 15 millimeters wide, creating a soft, wispy appearance across sandy coastal terrain.

Habitat: Beaches

Bloom period: Mar-Aug

Elevation: < 100 m

Bioregions: s CCo, SCo

California counties: Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, Marin

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