Stylocline masonii
Encyclopedia
Stylocline masonii is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common name Mason's neststraw. It is endemic to California
, where it is known from scattered occurrences between Monterey
and Los Angeles Counties
. It grows in various types of sandy habitat. It is similar to baretwig neststraw
(Stylocline psilocarphoides) and was taxonomically
separated from it in 1992. It is a small, inconspicuous plant that can only be identified with certainty during its flowering period, which occurs for two to four weeks during wet years. It is an annual herb growing at ground level and reaching just a few centimeters in length. It is usually coated in white hairs, often woolly. The leaves are no longer than 11 millimeters in length. The inflorescence
bears cylindrical, oval, or nearly spherical flower heads
each 2 to 5 millimeters. The head generally has no phyllaries
, just a ball of tiny woolly white flowers.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common name Mason's neststraw. It is endemic to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it is known from scattered occurrences between Monterey
Monterey County, California
Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
and Los Angeles Counties
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
. It grows in various types of sandy habitat. It is similar to baretwig neststraw
Stylocline psilocarphoides
Stylocline psilocarphoides is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common names baretwig neststraw and Peck's neststraw. It is native to the western United States from Idaho to southeastern California, where it grows in deserts and other dry, sandy, gravelly habitat...
(Stylocline psilocarphoides) and was taxonomically
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
separated from it in 1992. It is a small, inconspicuous plant that can only be identified with certainty during its flowering period, which occurs for two to four weeks during wet years. It is an annual herb growing at ground level and reaching just a few centimeters in length. It is usually coated in white hairs, often woolly. The leaves are no longer than 11 millimeters in length. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
bears cylindrical, oval, or nearly spherical flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
each 2 to 5 millimeters. The head generally has no phyllaries
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
, just a ball of tiny woolly white flowers.