Micropus californicus is a plant in the daisy family

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...

 which is known by the common name slender cottonweed. Its flowerheads resemble very small cotton balls, often rounded with cottony white hairs forming the pappus

Pappus (flower structure)

The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...

 of each seed. The individual plants are known more informally as Q-tips due to their resemblance to the cotton swab

Cotton swab

Cotton swabs or cotton buds or ear buds consist of a small wad of cotton wrapped around one or both ends of a short rod, usually made of either wood, rolled paper, or plastic...

s. It is found mostly in California, and into Oregon and northern Baja California. This plant is a resident of the vernal pool

Vernal pool

Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They are usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species...

plant community.