Rafinesquia neomexicana
Desert chicory, Desert Chicory
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Rafinesquia neomexicana (Desert chicory) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by involucre size and growth habit.
Desert chicory is a California native annual herb found in southern Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, White and Inyo Mountains, and Desert regions in gravelly and sandy soils of scrub and woodland habitats at elevations of 200 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from February to June, this plant produces white flowers in clusters emerging from small, branching inflorescences. Growing with slender stems 15 to 60 centimeters tall, often supported by surrounding shrub branches, it has a delicate, branching structure. Its leaves are variable, typically deeply lobed and distributed along the stem, becoming smaller and less divided toward the top of the plant. The distinctive fruit features a long beak, with the seed body 8 to 10 millimeters long and a slender extension 3 to 6 millimeters beyond that.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; distinguished by involucre size and growth habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Gravelly, sandy soils, scrub, woodland
Elevation: 200-1500 m
Outside California: to Utah, New Mexico, Texas, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Rafinesquia neomexicana blooms Feb-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Malacothrix: Rafinesquia has beaked seeds; Malacothrix seeds lack beaks; vs Calycoseris: Rafinesquia has branched stems with distributed leaves; Calycoseris has nearly leafless stems from basal rosette; vs Sonchus: Rafinesquia has slender stems and small delicate heads; Sonchus has thick hollow stems and larger heads; vs Stephanomeria: Rafinesquia has white flowers; Stephanomeria has pink-lavender flowers; vs Lactuca: Rafinesquia has white flowers and small heads; Lactuca typically has yellow or blue flowers
Frequently asked questions
Is Rafinesquia neomexicana native to California?
Yes. Rafinesquia neomexicana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Rafinesquia neomexicana bloom?
Rafinesquia neomexicana blooms Feb-Jun.
What plant family does Rafinesquia neomexicana belong to?
Rafinesquia neomexicana is in the Asteraceae family, genus Rafinesquia.
What habitat does Rafinesquia neomexicana grow in?
Rafinesquia neomexicana grows in Gravelly, sandy soils, scrub, woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.