wirelettuces

genus Stephanomeria

Member of lettuce, chicory, dandelion, and salsify tribe (tribe Cichorieae)
sunflower family (family Asteraceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

Except for historical records that I'm ignoring, there are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.

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Key features:

• seed with or without long groove on each face
• pappus bristles plumose all the way to the base or only 60–85%
• outer phyllaries appressed or reflexed [whether strongly or barely so]

See my observation comment about a couple of key features and how indistinct they are.

santa barbara wirelettuce
Stephanomeria elata

• seed with long groove on each face
• outer phyllaries generally [barely] reflexed (rarely appressed)
• pappus bristles wholly plumose or at least to widened bases
• uncommon

whiteplume wirelettuce
Stephanomeria exigua ssp. coronaria

• seed with long groove on each face
• outer phyllaries reflexed or appressed
• pappus bristles plumose on distal 60–85%, widened at base or not
• rare, Marin

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1 observed taxon / 2 unobserved taxons / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 10 (5 are research grade)

Locations:

• Pinnacles NP: 2
• Sierra Azul OSP: 2
• Castle Rock SP
• Huckleberry Botanic RP
• Jacks Peak CP
• Monte Bello OSP
• Rancho San Antonio OSP
• San Bruno Mountain State & County Park

Months:

• Jun.: 1
• Jul.: 0
• Aug.: 2
• Sep.: 0
• Oct.: 4
• Nov.: 3

For more details, use advanced search.

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Taxon info: iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora – FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora