Stephanomeria lactucina

Forest stephanomeria

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Forest stephanomeria is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, northern and central Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Modoc Plateau in sandy soils and openings of yellow-pine and red-fir forests at elevations of 1,100 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces delicate pink ligulate flowers in solitary heads approximately 12 to 14 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 0.5 to 6 decimeters tall, it emerges from a thin rhizome with 1 to 4 erect or ascending branches. Its leaves range from 3 to 8 centimeters long, linear to lanceolate, and are green at flowering time with entire or slightly toothed margins. The fruit develops 5 to 6 millimeters long with smooth faces and light tan pappus bristles that are wholly plumose and persistently attached.

Habitat: Sandy soils, openings in yellow-pine, red-fir forests

Bloom period: Jun-Aug

Elevation: 1100-2300 m

Bioregions: KR, NCoRO, NCoRH, CaRH, n&ampc SNH, MP

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