Upper Newport Bay, Nature Ctr. to Jamboree, 7-12-12. © Ron Vanderhoff.

California Sagebrush

Artemisia californica

Endemic to California and Baja California; the most important and widely distributed plant in the coastal sage scrub plant community. Wind-pollinated, drought-deciduous.

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UCI Ecological Preserve, 2-11-12. © Ron Vanderhoff.

Stairstep Trail, Laguna Cyn., 1-7-11. © Ron Vanderhoff.

San Mateo Creek, San Clemente, 10-13-11. © Ron Vanderhoff.

Serrano Creek, N of Trabuco, 10-25-11. © Ron Vanderhoff.

With galls. San Onofre State Beach, Trail 1 and 2, 2-5-15. © Ron Vanderhoff.
The following from a plant at Lake Forest, Orange County, CA. 11/23/12. Photos © Peter J. Bryant. Interpretation by Ron Vanderhoff.
Most experts believe that Artemisia have all disk florets and no ray florets. The 15-20 inner florets (four of which are open and in focus in this example) are bisexual with both male (staminate) and female (pistillate) parts. The 6-10 edge florets (along the bottom of the image) are female (pistillate).
Another example. More mature flowers.
Both bisexual and female (pistillate) florets are visible in these images.

The style has two branches, which are covered with papillae on the outside and at the apex, forming brushlike structures. The five anthers are joined in a tube that surrounds the style, and the pollen is swept out of this tube by the stigma as the style elongates. This species is thought to be self-incompatible.

Female (pistillate) florets at the edge of the head.

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