Xanthisma spinulosum var. gooddingii

Spiny goldenweed, Spiny Goldenweed

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Spiny goldenweed is a California native perennial found in southeastern Mojave Desert and northeastern Sonoran Desert regions in rocky places and creosote-bush scrub at elevations below 900 meters. Flowering from February to May and September to October, this plant produces bright yellow ray flowers in heads 15 to 18 millimeters wide with 30 to 45 distinctive yellow rays. Growing with erect or ascending stems 20 to 60 centimeters tall that are glandular-puberulent and leafy, especially in the lower half. Its leaves are 2 to 5 centimeters long, with proximal leaves having 1 to 2 pinnate lobes and scattered stalked glands. The fruit is 2 to 3 millimeters long with an appressed-hairy surface and a tan pappus 3 to 5 millimeters in length.

Habitat: Rocky places, washes; creosote-bush scrub

Bloom period: Feb-May, Sep--Oct

Elevation: < 900 m

Bioregions: se DMoj, ne DSon

California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino

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