Common name:
Two-toned everlasting
Family:
Scientific name:
Gnaphalium bicolor
Synonym:
Pseudognaphalium biolettii
Main flower color:
Range:
South and central California, mostly along the coast
Height:
Between 1 and 4 feet
Habitat:
Chaparral, coastal scrubland, sand dunes
Leaves:
Narrowly ovate; green on top, grey underneath, densely covered with fine hairs. Clasping base
Season:
February to July
Stems of mature specimens of gnaphalium bicolor are woody around the base, rising up to 4 feet tall and bearing narrow, stalkless leaves at quite closely-spaced intervals. The top of each stem splits a few times, each branch terminating in a dense cluster of between 25 and 50 small, egg-shaped flowers. The outer components of the flowers (the phyllaries) are white or pale yellow, while the central components (pistils) are yellowish brown. Stems have a covering of fine, downy hairs, as do the undersides of the leaves. The plant is largely confined to coastal regions of south and central California.
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