Pentachaeta exilis subsp. aeolica

San benito pentachaeta, San Benito Pentachaeta

Family: Asteraceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

San benito pentachaeta is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in San Francisco Bay and south-central coastal ranges in grassland and woodland habitats at elevations below 750 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces distinctive white ray flowers and yellow disk flowers in radiate heads. Growing delicately with slender stems to approximately 30 centimeters tall, the plant forms an open, spreading growth habit. Its leaves are narrow and lance-shaped, typically green and relatively small, arranged alternately along the stem. The fruit develops as small, dry achenes characteristic of the daisy family.

Habitat: Grassland, woodland

Bloom period: Mar-May

Elevation: < 750 m

Bioregions: SnFrB, SCoR.

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