Peirson’s lessingia

Lessingia germanorum Chamisso var. peirsonii J. T. Howell, Univ. Calif. Publ. Bot. 16: 26, figs. 25–30. 1929; L. lemmonii A. Gray var. peirsonii (J. T. Howell) Ferris

Stems villous to tomentose. Abaxial leaf faces tomentose. Involucres obconic, 5–6 mm. Phyllaries tomentose. Disc florets 10–25; style-branch appendages lanceolate, 0.6–1.3 mm. 2n = 10.

Flowering May–Sept. Dry foothills, desert washes, roadsides, usually sandy soils; 900–2100 m; Calif.

Variety peirsonii is known from the northwestern Transverse Range (northwestern Los Angeles and south-central Kern counties), the Piute Mountains (Kern County), and the western Mojave Desert (eastern Kern County). The leaves have a dense tomentum that is only partly lost in age. The involucres are persistently tomentose.