Rafinesquia californica is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names California chicory and California plumeseed. It looks like a weedy daisy, bearing heads of elegant white-petaled flowers. The ligules of the flowers are often striped with lavender or pink on the undersides, a feature most noticeable when the heads are closed. Each fruit has a pappus of stiff white or light brown hairs.
| Rafinesquia californica | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Rafinesquia |
| Species: | R. californica
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| Binomial name | |
| Rafinesquia californica | |
It is among the first plants to sprout up in areas recently cleared by fire. Indeed, the seeds germinate more readily in the presence of burned wood.[1] It is native to most of the southwestern United States as far north as Oregon, and to Baja California in Mexico.
References
edit- ^ Native Plants Protocol Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine
External links
edit- Calflora Database: Rafinesquia californica (California chicory, California plumseed)
- [cjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=4548 Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Rafinesquia californica]
- USDA Plants Profile for Rafinesquia californica (California plumeseed)
- Flora of North America
- UC Photos gallery of Rafinesquia californica
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