''Stylocline masonii'' is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Mason's neststraw.

Description

''Stylocline masonii'' is a small, inconspicuous plant that can only be identified with certainty during its flowering period, which occurs for two to four weeks during wet years. It is an annual herb growing at ground level and reaching just a few centimeters in length. It is usually coated in white hairs, often woolly. The leaves are no longer than 11 millimeters in length. The inflorescence bears cylindrical, oval, or nearly spherical

flower heads A pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower"; ) is an inflorescence that resembles a flower. The word is sometimes used for other structures that are neither a true flower nor a true inflorescence. Examples of pseudanthia include flower heads, compos ...

each 2 to 5 millimeters. The head generally has no phyllaries, just a ball of tiny woolly white flowers.

Distribution

It is endemic to California, where it is known from scattered small occurrences between Monterey and Los Angeles Counties. It grows in various types of sandy habitat. It is similar to baretwig neststraw (''Stylocline psilocarphoides'') and was taxonomically separated from it in 1992.Morefield, J. D. (1992). Three new species of ''Stylocline'' (Asteraceae:Inuleae) from California and the Mojave Desert. ''Madroño'' 39:114-130.

References

External links

Calflora Database: ''Stylocline masonii''Jepson eFlora (TJM2) treatment of ''Stylocline masonii''
masonii Endemic flora of California Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Plants described in 1992 Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Gnaphalieae-stub