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Wildflower Center Staff

Lasthenia glabrata

Lasthenia glabrata Lindl.

Yellowray Goldfields, Yellow-ray Goldfields, California Sunshine

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: LAGL4

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A succulent, colony-forming winter annual, 8-24 in. high. Leaves are narrow. The 1/2-1 in. wide, bright-yellow, daisy-like flowers occur at the ends of long stems which become enlarged below the flower head.

From the Image Gallery

7 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 2 feet tall.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: CA
Native Distribution: Central Valley & Coast Ranges of CA
Native Habitat: Vernal pools; hillsides; low, alkaline fields

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Description: Heavy, alkaline soils.
Conditions Comments: In drier soils, goldfields is short and relatively unbranched. In its native range and habitat, goldfields reseeds freely.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: One of the primary nectar sources for the endangered checkerspot butterfly.
Use Food: Seeds consumed by indigenous peoples.
Attracts: Butterflies

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Can be propagated only from seed. Sow outside in late fall. Seeds will germinate over the winter and flower in the warmth of spring.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:			FACW							FACW

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 1218 - Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources (2006) Anderson, M. Kat

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Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Lasthenia glabrata in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Lasthenia glabrata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Lasthenia glabrata

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-12-29
Research By: TWC Staff

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