''Lasthenia californica'' is a species of flowering plant in the family

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...

known by the common name California goldfields. It is native to western North America.

Description

''L. californica'' is an

annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year ** Yearbook ** Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

herb approaching a maximum height near , but generally staying much smaller. The plant is quite variable in appearance across subspecies and climates. The leaves are hairy, somewhat linear in shape, and about long. Individuals growing along the coast may have fleshy leaves. Between March and May, the hairy stems are topped by

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphology (biology), Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of sperma ...

s of flower heads, across, with hairy

phyllaries In botanical terminology, a phyllary, also known an involucral bract or tegule, is a single bract of the involucre of a composite flower. The involucre is the grouping of bracts together. Phyllaries are reduced leaf-like structures that form one o ...

. The head contains many yellow disc florets with a fringe of about 10 small ray florets. Large populations of this species bloom at once in the spring to produce the carpets of yellow on hillsides and in meadows that give the plant its common name. The seed sometimes has brownish scales at the tip. '' Crocidium multicaule'' is similar in appearance, but most of its leaves are in a basal rosette, with alternate leaves on the stem.

Taxonomy

The species is placed by some in the genus ''Baeria''.

Distribution and habitat

The plant can be found in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

and

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

. It thrives in open fields and slopes at low elevations, especially in poor grassless soils with adequate moisture.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Lasthenia californica''Calflora-Lasthenia californicaUSDA Plants Profile — ''Lasthenia californica'' (California Goldfields)''Lasthenia californica'' (California Goldfields) — U.C. Photo gallery
californica Flora of California Flora of Oregon Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Madieae-stub