Stephanomeria exigua

Small wirelettuce

Family: Asteraceae · Type: annual · Native

Small wirelettuce is a California native annual found in open, dry habitats across the state's interior regions at elevations of low to moderate ranges. Flowering from July to October, this delicate plant produces white to pink flowers in small, clusters with slender peduncles up to 4 centimeters long. Growing with a single stem that branches widely and spreads 10 to 20 centimeters tall, it develops sparse, reduced cauline leaves that become bract-like as the plant matures. Its basal leaves typically wither by flowering time, leaving a spare, open branching structure that gives the plant its wispy, delicate appearance. The fruit is 2 to 6.5 millimeters long with smooth to slightly textured surfaces, bearing white to tan pappus bristles that persist after flowering.

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