Layia septentrionalis
Layia septentrionalis is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Colusa tidytips, or Colusa layia.
| Layia septentrionalis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Layia |
| Species: | L. septentrionalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Layia septentrionalis | |
It is endemic to California, where it is known only from the Coast Ranges north of the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sutter Buttes in the Central Valley. It is sometimes a member of the serpentine soils flora.
Description
This is a small annual herb producing a glandular stem up to about 35 centimeters tall. The leaves are linear to lance-shaped, with the lower ones lobed and up to about 7 centimeters in length. The daisylike flower heads contain toothed yellow ray florets and yellow disc florets with yellow anthers. The fruit is an achene; fruits on the disc florets have a long white pappus of plumelike bristles.