Annuals or perennials, to 40 cm (cespitose). Stems erect or decumbent, branched proximally or distally, ± hairy. Leaves linear to oblanceolate or oblong, 8–210 × 1–5.5(–15) mm, (± fleshy in coastal forms) margins entire or with 3–5+ teeth, faces glabrous or ± hairy. Involucres campanulate to depressed-hemispheric or hemispheric, 5–14 mm. Phyllaries (persistent or falling with cypselae) 4–16 (in 1–2 series), elliptic to ovate or lanceolate to oblong, hairy. Receptacles conic, muricate, glabrous. Ray florets 6–16; laminae linear to oblong, 5–18 mm. Anther appendages deltate to sublanceolate. Cypselae black to gray or silver-gray, linear to narrowly clavate, to 4 mm, glabrous or hairy; pappi 0, or of 1–7 translucent (rarely opaque), brown (rarely white), linear to subulate, aristate scales.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

w United States.

Discussion

Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).

Plants of Lasthenia californica, especially those in coastal populations, have the largest, showiest heads in the genus. Report of L. californica from Massachusetts was not confirmed for this study

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Lasthenia californica subsp. bakeri, Lasthenia californica subsp. californica, Lasthenia californica subsp. macrantha

Key

1	Annuals; coastal or inland; n California, s Oregon	Lasthenia californica subsp. californica
1	Perennials (sometimes flowering first year); coastal; California	> 2
2	Roots fleshy, clustered; stems erect, branched distally; leaf blades 1–2+ mm wide	Lasthenia californica subsp. bakeri
2	Roots usually not fleshy or clustered; stems decumbent, branched proximally; leaf blades 1.5–5.5(–15) mm wide	Lasthenia californica subsp. macrantha