About Lasthenia californica DC. ex Lindl.
Lasthenia californica DC. ex Lindl. is an annual herb that can reach a maximum height of around 40 centimetres (16 inches), though most individuals are much smaller. This species varies noticeably in appearance across its different subspecies and the different climates it grows in. Its leaves are hairy, roughly linear in shape, and measure between 1 and 7 cm (3⁄8–2+3⁄4 inches) long. Plants that grow along the coast may develop fleshy leaves. From March to May, the hairy stems produce flower head inflorescences at their tips. These flower heads are 2 to 2.5 cm (3⁄4–1 inch) across, and have hairy phyllaries. Each flower head holds many yellow disc florets, surrounded by a fringe of approximately 10 small ray florets. Large populations of this species bloom together in spring, creating wide carpets of yellow across hillsides and meadows – this display gives the plant its common name. Its seeds sometimes bear brownish scales at their tips. Crocidium multicaule looks similar to Lasthenia californica, but most of the leaves on Crocidium multicaule are arranged in a basal rosette, with only alternate leaves growing along the stem. Lasthenia californica is distributed across California, Oregon, Arizona, and Baja California. It grows best in open fields and slopes at low elevations, particularly in poor, grassless soils that have enough adequate moisture.
