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| Pseudognaphalium californicum |
| Family: Asteraceae (Aster) |
| Flowers — color: white, size: 1/4", type: daisy (compound) |
Everlasting flowers consist of a hundred or so disk florets surrounded by a covering of dozens of phylarries. Most florets are female, but a few have stamens, too. Unlike most Aster family plants, there are no ray florets. The phylarries will open to expose the yellow florets and allow pollenization. After the seeds disperse, the phylarries remain to resemble a flower, hence "everlasting" [below left, photo #1].
A half dozen flower clusters develop at the top of the stem. Each cluster holds a half dozen buds. This species has white phylarries. of white ellipsoidal blooms.
Habit:
California Everlasting is an annual or biennial herb with three local relatives: bicolored, pink everlasting, and purple. It has columnar form and grows to several feet high. The leaves are narrow, lance-shaped, hairy, and attach with wide base to stem. The leaves have an aroma described as maple syrup, curry, cumin. The Chumash had medical uses for all the everlastings.
California Everlasting is considered a pioneer plant, spreading quickly after wildfires. Solitary, open shade in scrublands and forest.