Monolopia major
| Monolopia major | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Monolopia |
| Species: | M. major |
| Binomial name | |
| Monolopia major DC. | |
Monolopia major is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name cupped monolopia.
Distribution
The plant is endemic to central California, where it grows in the Central Valley and California Coast Ranges to the west. It can be found on open grasslands, often in clay soils.
Description
Monolopia major is an annual herb producing a slender, sometimes branching stem up to about 80 centimeters tall. It is usually somewhat woolly in texture.
The inflorescences at the ends of stem branches bear small hemispheric flower heads with fused phyllaries. The golden, yellow, or cream-colored ray florets are up to 2 centimeters long and have three-lobed tips. They surround a center of many disc florets.
The fruit is an achene about 2 to 4 millimeters long.