Sanvitalia abertii
Abert's sanvitalia
(c) Alex Abair, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Sanvitalia abertii (Abert's sanvitalia) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by Only Sanvitalia species in California, reaching the northwestern edge of its range in the Clark and New York Mountains.
Abert's sanvitalia is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native annual found in the southeastern Mojave Desert Mountains, including Clark, Mescal, and New York Mountains, in dry slopes, washes, scrub, and woodland at elevations of 1,450 to 1,750 meters. Flowering from August to October, this plant produces bright yellow ray flowers 2 to 3 millimeters long that dry to a cream color, arranged in small heads. Growing 2 to 29 centimeters tall with spreading or erect stems covered in stiff, appressed hairs, it has a delicate and compact form. Its leaves are sessile or short-petioled, linear to lanceolate, 2 to 5 centimeters long, and have a rough, scabrous texture. The fruit is straw-colored for ray flowers and brown and warty for disk flowers, with distinctive pappus characteristics.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Only Sanvitalia species in California, reaching the northwestern edge of its range in the Clark and New York Mountains
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry slopes, washes, scrub, woodland
Elevation: 1450-1750 m
Outside California: to Texas, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Sanvitalia abertii blooms Aug-Oct.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Eriophyllum: Sanvitalia has rough sandpaper leaves; Eriophyllum has soft woolly leaves.; vs Layia: Sanvitalia has leathery persistent rays and rough leaves; Layia has thin dropping rays and fluffy seed plumes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sanvitalia abertii native to California?
Yes. Sanvitalia abertii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Sanvitalia abertii bloom?
Sanvitalia abertii blooms Aug-Oct.
What plant family does Sanvitalia abertii belong to?
Sanvitalia abertii is in the Asteraceae family, genus Sanvitalia.
Is Sanvitalia abertii rare or endangered?
Sanvitalia abertii carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.2, state rank S2S3.
What habitat does Sanvitalia abertii grow in?
Sanvitalia abertii grows in dry slopes, washes, scrub, woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.