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Golden Gate National Recreation Area

White-Rayed Pentachaeta

White-Rayed Pentachaeta
Pentachaeta bellidiflora

Photo © Toni Corelli

Home >> Species >> White-Rayed Pentachaeta

White-Rayed Pentachaeta
Pentachaeta bellidiflora

The White-Rayed Pentachaeta is in the aster (Asteraceae) family. The species is a very small wildflower “endemic” to the San Francisco Bay Area. It was first collected in 1853 or 1854 during a railway route exploration, although the species was not described until 1885.

The White-Rayed Pentachaeta is now restricted to serpentine grasslands. It is an annual wildflower with pale pink ray flowers and yellow disk flowers. Although each plant is short in stature, the population within the San Francisco Peninsula Watershed is very large (thousands of plants) and makes for a bright show in late winter through early spring.  This is still a great place to find the species within the GGNRA legislative boundary.

At one time, there were ten occurrences documented of the White-Rayed Pentachaeta. It ranged from Marin, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz Counties; it was the widest ranging of all the species in the San Francisco Bay Area that are now considered in danger of extinction.  Today just one population of White-Rayed Pentachaeta remains in the wild. The species was protected as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act in 1995.

A combination of threats has reduced the White-Rayed Pentachaeta to its present state: urban development and habitat conversion caused by non-native plant invasions are two of the biggest threats the species faces.  Lolium multiflorum, the Italian ryegrass, has been particularly hard on White-Rayed Pentachaeta.

Conservation Action Item

In order to fight back against invasive weeds, the GGNRA has created a citizen-science program designed to detect infestations of invasive weeds before they get out of control. Called "Weed Watchers," the program teaches individuals how to identify invasive weeds, and then report findings of where these weeds may be located in the Park. Get trained and become a Weed Watcher and help combat the invasive weeds that are threatening the continued existence of the White-Rayed Pentachaeta.

For more information about this Conservation Action Item:

NPS Weed Watcher Program

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Previous Comments

Posted by: Liam O'Brien | 2008-05-16 00:53:36

The folks at Edgewood Park are hardcore plant people. Had a wonderful crash course in the special endemics in the park by Ken Himes and Paul Hipple. Saw my first Purple Mouse-Ears and Fragrant Fritillaries. After removing invasive thistles all morning, John Allen took me to where the isolated pop. of this species is within the park. Didn't see it there, but looking directly across Highway 280, he keyed out the small ridgetops that looked like a small dusting of snow. THAT was the daisy-like beauty.

 

Posted by: Brent | 2008-05-16 04:31:26

On May 17, folks can go to Edgewood and take an action item for the San Mateo Thronmint while working with the CNPS folks that Liam met.

 

Posted by: Steve Price | 2008-06-04 16:45:37

This is a great place to volunteer and we saw swaths of the White-Rayed Pentachaeta just beyond the chain-link fence beside the road.