Tonestus lyallii
Lyall's tonestus, Lyall's Tonestus
(c) Kenzie Anderson-Bell, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kenzie Anderson-Bell · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Tonestus lyallii (Lyall's tonestus) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by occurs only in Klamath Ranges.
Lyall's tonestus is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in the central Klamath Ranges, specifically the Trinity Alps, in meadows, barrens, and rocky sites at elevations of 1,500 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces white ray flowers with green to reddish involucres in compact heads 8 to 11 millimeters wide. Growing with loosely clustered stems 4 to 15 centimeters tall, it forms branched underground caudices with poorly developed taproots. Its leaves are entire, reaching up to 8.5 centimeters long, and spread in a delicate, low-growing pattern across rocky terrain. The fruit is 2.5 to 5.5 millimeters long, glabrous or sparsely hairy, with a pappus matching the length of the disk corolla.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; occurs only in Klamath Ranges
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, barrens, rocky sites
Elevation: 1500-2800 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Alberta, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado
Bloom period
Tonestus lyallii blooms Jul-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.3
How to tell it apart
vs Solidago: Tonestus is sticky-glandular; Solidago is non-sticky with smooth or slightly hairy texture.; vs Xanthisma: Tonestus foliage is sticky not spiny; Xanthisma leaves have spine-tipped teeth.; vs Pyrrocoma: Tonestus is sticky-glandular throughout; Pyrrocoma lacks stalked glands and sticky texture.; vs Petradoria: Tonestus has basal leaf rosette; Petradoria is woody shrub without basal rosette.; vs Euthamia: Tonestus is sticky with large solitary heads; Euthamia is non-sticky with small clustered heads.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tonestus lyallii native to California?
Yes. Tonestus lyallii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Tonestus lyallii bloom?
Tonestus lyallii blooms Jul-Aug.
What plant family does Tonestus lyallii belong to?
Tonestus lyallii is in the Asteraceae family, genus Tonestus.
Is Tonestus lyallii rare or endangered?
Tonestus lyallii carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S1.
What habitat does Tonestus lyallii grow in?
Tonestus lyallii grows in Meadows, barrens, rocky sites.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.