Stephanomeria elata

Annual mitra

Family: Asteraceae · Type: annual · Native

Annual mitra is a California native annual herb found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range foothills, Sierra Nevada, central western California, western Southern California, and western Transverse Ranges in chaparral openings, grassy meadows, and roadside embankments at elevations of 100 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from July to November, this plant produces pink ligule flowers in heads arranged singly or in clusters along branch nodes. Growing with a single stem 50 to 150 centimeters tall, its branches ascend or spread with reduced bract-like cauline leaves. Its basal leaves typically wither by flowering time, leaving a distinctive sparse foliage structure. The fruit features smooth to slightly tubercled surfaces with white or tan pappus bristles that vary between populations in their attachment and persistence.

Habitat: Chaparral openings, grassy meadows, roadside embankments

Bloom period: Jul-Nov

Elevation: 100-1400 m

Bioregions: NW, CaRF, SN, CW, w SCo, WTR

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