Packera ganderi

Gander's ragwort

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Gander's ragwort is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in the Peninsular Ranges in chaparral understory and recently burned slopes with gabbroic soils at elevations of 700 to 1,100 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces yellow ray flowers 10 to 12 millimeters long with green phyllary heads arranged in compact clusters. Growing 30 to 80 centimeters tall with a single glabrous or slightly hairy stem emerging from a weakly spreading fibrous root system. Its distinctive basal leaves are firm and leathery, 4 to 7 centimeters long, kidney-shaped to nearly round, with truncate or heart-shaped bases and toothed or shallowly lobed edges. The compact flower heads feature 13 or 21 ray flowers surrounding 40 to 60 disk flowers, creating a delicate and intricate botanical display.

Habitat: Chaparral understory, recently burned chaparral slopes, gabbroic soils

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: 700-1100 m

Bioregions: PR.

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