Stephanomeria virgata

Rod wirelettuce

Family: Asteraceae · Type: annual · Native

Rod wirelettuce is a California native annual found in various bioregions in open grasslands and disturbed areas. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces white to dark pink flowers in small clusters along slender branches. Growing with a single stem up to two meters tall, it develops wand-like branches that create an open, delicate structure. Its basal leaves quickly wither during flowering, while stem leaves become reduced to small bract-like structures. The fruit is smooth to slightly bumpy, with white feathery pappus bristles that easily detach.

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