mule’s ears

genus Wyethia

Member of yellow sunflower-like flowers
sunflower family (family Asteraceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

There are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.

Key features:

phyllary shape; hairy, tomentose, glandular, or glabrous

See also california balsamroot (Balsamorhiza macrolepis), which has similar flowers but completely different leaves.

phyllaries long and wide

smooth mule-ears
Wyethia glabra

smooth mule-ears
Wyethia glabra

plant shiny green, glabrous or sparsely short-hairy, glandular
outer spreading phyllaries 4–7 cm, wide, leaf-like, generally ≫ inner erect phyllaries
phyllaries glabrous or glandular
heads generally 1, large

gray mule-ears
Wyethia helenioides

gray mule-ears
Wyethia helenioides

plant densely tomentose, often becoming ± glabrous
outer spreading phyllaries 4–7+ cm, wide, leaf-like, generally ≫ inner erect phyllaries
phyllaries persistently tomentose [example]
head generally 1, large

phyllaries short and narrow

narrowleaf mule-ears
Wyethia angustifolia

narrowleaf mule-ears
Wyethia angustifolia

phyllaries 1.5–3 cm, narrow, generally not leaf-like, outer ± same as inner
phyllaries generally many
phyllaries ± soft-hairy, ciliate
heads generally 1

woolly mule’s ears
Wyethia mollis

woolly mule’s ears
Wyethia mollis

phyllaries 1.5–3 cm, narrow, generally not leaf-like, outer ± same as inner
phyllaries generally few
plant ± tomentose, often becoming glabrous
heads 1–3
very rare

4 observed taxons / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 58 (32 are research grade)

Locations:

Edgewood Park & Natural Preserve: 7
Henry Coe SP: 7
Coyote Lake / Harvey Bear Ranch CP: 6
Sunol Wilderness RP: 5
Calero CP: 4
Rancho Cañada del Oro OSP: 3
Stevens Creek CP: 3
Sweeney Ridge National Recreation Area: 3
Desolation Wilderness: 2
Fremont Older OSP: 2
Joseph D. Grant CP: 2
Russian Ridge OSP: 2
Santa Teresa CP: 2
Almaden Quicksilver CP
Ansel Adams Wilderness
Coal Creek OSP
Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills
Lake Chabot RP
Long Ridge OSP
Los Trancos OSP
Picchetti Ranch OSP
Sierra Vista OSP
Skyline Ridge OSP

Months:

Feb.: 1
Mar.: 6
Apr.: 26
May: 14
Jun.: 7
Jul.: 1
Aug.: 2
Sep.: 1

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Taxon info: iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora – FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora