Tidestromia lanuginosa
Woolly tidestromia
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Family: Amaranthaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Tidestromia lanuginosa (Woolly tidestromia) is a native California herb in the Amaranthaceae family, recognized by key differences in leaf shape and pubescence persistence.
Woolly tidestromia is a California native annual found in the eastern Desert Mountains, specifically the Granite Mountains, on gravelly to sandy slopes at around 1,200 meters elevation. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces yellow flowers in small clusters of one to three blossoms. Growing with prostrate to ascending stems 10 to 50 centimeters long that are densely covered in white woolly hairs, giving the plant a soft grayish appearance. Its leaves are gray-green, broadly oval, measuring 6 to 32 millimeters long and 9 to 30 millimeters wide. The fruit is small, measuring 1.3 to 1.5 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; key differences in leaf shape and pubescence persistence
Habitat and range
Habitat: Slopes, gravelly to sandy soils
Elevation: +- 1200 m.
Outside California: to Colorado, Texas, Mexico
Bloom period
Tidestromia lanuginosa blooms Jul-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Croton: Use a hand lens on stem hairs - Tidestromia has Y-shaped forked hairs; Croton has star-shaped hairs.; vs Encelia: Encelia has daisy-like flower heads; Tidestromia has tiny flowers hidden in woolly leaf clusters.; vs Dicoria: Dicoria has alternate leaves and sunflower-family flowers; Tidestromia has opposite leaves and woolly clusters.; vs Euphorbia: Euphorbia oozes milky sap when broken; Tidestromia has clear sap and is densely woolly.; vs Eriogonum: Eriogonum has flowers in papery involucres; Tidestromia flowers are hidden in woolly leaf-axil clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tidestromia lanuginosa native to California?
Yes. Tidestromia lanuginosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Tidestromia lanuginosa bloom?
Tidestromia lanuginosa blooms Jul-Oct.
What plant family does Tidestromia lanuginosa belong to?
Tidestromia lanuginosa is in the Amaranthaceae family, genus Tidestromia.
What habitat does Tidestromia lanuginosa grow in?
Tidestromia lanuginosa grows in Slopes, gravelly to sandy soils.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
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.