Monolopia gracilens
Encyclopedia
Monolopia gracilens is a species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common name woodland monolopia. It is endemic to California
, where it is known from the mountains of the San Francisco Bay Area
and ranges just to the south. It grows in grassland, chaparral
, woodland, and other habitat, often on serpentine soil
s. It is an annual herb producing a slender, branching stem up to about 80 centimeters tall. It is usually somewhat woolly in texture. The inflorescence
s at the ends of stem branches bear small hemispheric flower heads
. The golden ray florets are up to a centimeter long and surround a center of many disc florets. The fruit is an achene
about 2 millimeters long.
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 woodland monolopia. 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 the mountains of the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
and ranges just to the south. It grows in grassland, chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
, woodland, and other habitat, often on serpentine soil
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
s. It is an annual herb producing a slender, branching stem up to about 80 centimeters tall. It is usually somewhat woolly in texture. 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...
s at the ends of stem branches bear small hemispheric flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
. The golden ray florets are up to a centimeter long and surround a center of many disc florets. The fruit is an achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
about 2 millimeters long.