Tribe Heliantheae Rank Species | Genus Lasthenia Higher classification Lasthenia | |
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Similar Lasthenia, Lasthenia glabrata, Lasthenia fremontii, Daisy family, Lasthenia conjugens | ||
Lasthenia ferrisiae is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name Ferris' goldfields. It is endemic to the California Central Valley, where it grows in vernal pools and alkali flats.
Description
Lasthenia ferrisiae is an annual herb approaching a maximum height near 40 centimeters. It is variable in appearance and similar to other species of goldfields (Lasthenia); it is probably the result of a cross between Lasthenia chrysantha and Lasthenia glabrata, which grow throughout its range. The stem may be branched or not and it bears hairless, linear leaves up to 8 centimeters long.
Atop the hairless or sparsely hairy stems are inflorescences of flower heads with fused, hairless phyllaries. The head contains many yellow disc florets with a fringe of small yellow ray florets.
The fruit is a flat, oval-shaped achene up to about 2 millimeters long.