Pale-Yellow Layia
(Layia heterotricha )
Asteraceae

Photo Copyright 2003 Christopher L. Christie

Description: Annual, stout, herb, 5 1/8 - 36 inches (13-90cm) tall, and scented like apples or bananas. Leaves elliptic to pear-shaped, fleshy, stemless, less than 4 3/4 inches (12cm) long, and smooth-edged or minutely toothed. Inflorescence is a radiate head with 7-13 white to cream-colored ray flowers, and each ray 1/4 - 1 inch (5-24mm) long. Heads also contain 43-91 disk flowers with yellow petals, 1/8 - 1/4 inch (4-7mm) long. Fruit are achenes, 1/8 - 1/4 inch (4-6.5mm) long.

Distribution:

Habitat: Open, clay soils. Grassland, foothill woodland. Elevation 960 - 5120 feet.

Flowering Period: Blooms March - June.

Similar Plants:

Status: BLM Sensitive, California Native Plant Society List 1B