Uropappus lindleyi
Silver puffs
(c) Tom Hilton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Uropappus lindleyi (Silver puffs) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by Only Uropappus species in California, distinguished by unique 5-scaled pappus structure.
Silver puffs is a California native annual found throughout California (excluding the North Coast) in open grasslands, woodlands, chaparral, and desert habitats at elevations up to 2,300 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces pale yellow flowers with reddish undersides in heads 10 to 40 millimeters long, with delicate ligules that readily wither. Growing 5 to 70 centimeters tall with erect leafy stems that exude milky sap, it has a distinctive scapose or branching habit. Its leaves are soft-hairy, linear to narrowly lobed, ranging 5 to 30 centimeters long and primarily basal or alternating along the stem. The fruit develops as a slender black seed with a silvery pappus of 5 scales, creating the plant's characteristic "puff" appearance when mature.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Only Uropappus species in California, distinguished by unique 5-scaled pappus structure
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Open grassland, woodland, chaparral, deserts, generally in loose soils
Elevation: < 2300 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino, Kern, Los Angeles, Fresno, Inyo, Monterey, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Marin, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Solano, Stanislaus, Trinity, Tuolumne, Alameda, Butte, Contra Costa, Tulare, Lake, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Sutter, Colusa, Tehama, Siskiyou, San Joaquin, Yolo, Imperial, Mono, Shasta, Alpine, Lassen
Outside California: to British Columbia, Idaho, Utah, western Texas, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Uropappus lindleyi blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Microseris: Check buds - Microseris buds droop or nod, Uropappus buds stay upright.; vs Achyrachaena: Achyrachaena has ray flowers with 3-lobed tips and scales mixed with bristles, not 5 silvery scales alone.; vs Hypochaeris: Hypochaeris has branched stems with multiple heads and feathery bristle pappus, not 5 silvery scales.; vs Stebbinsoseris: Count scales - Uropappus has exactly 5, Stebbinsoseris has more than 5 with irregular notching.; vs Agoseris: Agoseris has simple bristle pappus like dandelions, not silvery scales.
Frequently asked questions
Is Uropappus lindleyi native to California?
Yes. Uropappus lindleyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Uropappus lindleyi bloom?
Uropappus lindleyi blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Uropappus lindleyi grow?
Uropappus lindleyi occurs in San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino, Kern, Los Angeles, Fresno, Inyo, Monterey, Riverside and other counties, at elevations of < 2300 m.
What plant family does Uropappus lindleyi belong to?
Uropappus lindleyi is in the Asteraceae family, genus Uropappus.
What habitat does Uropappus lindleyi grow in?
Uropappus lindleyi grows in Common. Open grassland, woodland, chaparral, deserts, generally in loose soils.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.