Scientific Family
Asteraceae
Synonyms
Filago californica
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Annual
Height
2 to 12 inches
Riparian
Yes
A small annual plant in the sunflower family. Grows to 12 inches tall and is hairy and erect.
Stems are usually solitary, branched; largest leaves to 3/4 inch, 1/8 inch wide; distal leaves generally tapering to a point; disc corolla lobes generally 4, bright red to purple; outer fruit less than 1/16 inch; inner fruit with pappus bristles.
Habitat
Bare, rocky, or grassy places, drainages.
Plant Community
Riparian
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
0
High elevation
5900
Flower Characteristics
The 1/8 inch flower heads are surrounded by upper leaves of about the same length as the head. Each head has tiny reddish-purple disc flowers with the outer 8 to 10 being all female.
Flower color
Sepals whitish-grey, small Reddish-purple disc flowers
Flower shape
Daisy or dandelion-like
Tubular
No
First bloom month
March
Last bloom month
May
Flower clusters
Rounded
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaves are 1/4 to 3/4 inch long and are attached to the stems without a little stem at the bottom of the leaf; cobwebby.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Grayish to green
Leaf shape
Round or oval
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Fruits are tiny, flattened achenes with a ring of pappus bristles, falling off as a unit.
Fruit type
Achene