Packera streptanthifolia var. streptanthifolia
Rocky mountain groundsel, Rocky Mountain Groundsel
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Packera streptanthifolia var. streptanthifolia (Rocky mountain groundsel) is a native California perennial in the Asteraceae family, recognized by . Distinguished by thick firm leaves and forest habitat.
Rocky mountain groundsel is a California native perennial found in the northern California Ranges, Sierra Nevada, and Modoc Plateau in forest and open meadows at elevations of 1,100 to 2,900 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces yellow ray flowers 5 to 10 millimeters long in heads arranged in loose, flat-topped clusters. Growing 20 to 50 centimeters tall with 1 to 5 stems that are glabrous or have tufted woolly hairs near the base, it develops from a stout fibrous-rooted caudex. Its basal leaves are thick and firm, spoon-shaped to oblanceolate, 2 to 4 centimeters long, with edges that may be entire, crenate, dentate, or weakly lobed. The plant's green phyllaries are sometimes tinged red at the tips, with 8 to 13 ray flowers surrounding 35 to 60 disk flowers.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species. Distinguished by thick firm leaves and forest habitat.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Forest, open meadows, dry or damp loamy soils
Elevation: 1100-2900 m
Outside California: to Yukon Territory, Saskatchewan, New Mexico
Bloom period
Packera streptanthifolia var. streptanthifolia blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Senecio: Packera has green or red bract tips and fibrous roots; Senecio often has black bract tips and taproots.; vs Jacobaea: Packera is native with soft-toothed leaf margins; Jacobaea is non-native with harder-edged leaves.; vs Arnica: Packera has alternate leaves and many small heads; Arnica has opposite leaves and fewer large heads.; vs Eriophyllum: Packera has green leaves with soft hairs; Eriophyllum has densely woolly gray-white leaves.; vs Eriogonum: Packera has yellow daisy flowers; buckwheat has ball-like clusters of tiny pink/white/yellow flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Packera streptanthifolia var. streptanthifolia native to California?
Yes. Packera streptanthifolia var. streptanthifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Packera streptanthifolia var. streptanthifolia bloom?
Packera streptanthifolia var. streptanthifolia blooms May-Aug.
What plant family does Packera streptanthifolia var. streptanthifolia belong to?
Packera streptanthifolia var. streptanthifolia is in the Asteraceae family, genus Packera.
What habitat does Packera streptanthifolia var. streptanthifolia grow in?
Packera streptanthifolia var. streptanthifolia grows in Common. Forest, open meadows, dry or damp loamy soils.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Packera subnuda var. subnuda — Cleftleaf groundsel
- Packera werneriifolia — Hoary groundsel
- Packera bernardina — San bernardino ragwort
- Packera bolanderi var. bolanderi — Seacoast ragwort
- Packera breweri — Brewer's ragwort
- Packera cana — Woolly groundsel
- Palafoxia arida — Desert palafox
- Palafoxia arida var. arida — Desert needle
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.