Townsendia condensata

Cushion townsendia, Cushion Townsendia

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

Cushion townsendia is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in northern Mono County's eastern Sierra Nevada in gravelly slopes at elevations of 3,200 to 3,700 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white ray flowers in compact, nearly sessile heads. Growing as a low, compact herb less than 3 centimeters tall with a dense, woolly appearance, it forms tight cushion-like clusters. Its basal leaves are narrowly obovate, 0.5 to 1.5 centimeters long, with soft, woolly surfaces and rounded tips. The plant's phyllaries are lanceolate with scarious margins and long hairs, giving it a distinctive textured appearance.

Habitat: Gravelly slopes

Bloom period: Jun-Aug

Elevation: 3200-3700 m

Bioregions: n SNE (Mono Co.)

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