Villose spineflower

Chorizanthe villosa Eastwood, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 30: 485. 1903

Plants ascending to slightly erect, 0.5-2 × 0.5-10 dm. Leaf blades 1-5 × 0.4-1 cm. Involucres (2-)2.5-3 mm, without scarious margins, awns straight, rarely curved or with 1 awn uncinate. Flowers 2.5-3 mm. Achenes 2.5-3 mm. 2n = 38, 40, 42.

Flowering May-Aug. Sandy places, coastal scrub communities; of conservation concern; 0-60 m; Calif.

Variety villosa is more common than var. cuspidata, due in part to habitat protection provided at Point Reyes National Seashore. Villose spineflower occurs from Point Reyes in Marin County to Bodega Bay in Sonoma County. Some of the awns of var. villosa may become bent due to pressing so as to resemble those of var. cuspidata. In the field, some truly uncinate awns can be found occasionally on individual involucres in var. villosa, but the condition is never uniform throughout the plant.