Coastal goldfields facts for kids

The Lasthenia minor, also known as coastal goldfields, is a type of flowering plant that belongs to the daisy family. This plant is special because it is endemic to California, which means it grows naturally only in California and nowhere else in the world. You can find it in grasslands near the coast and further inland.

What it Looks Like

Lasthenia minor is an annual herb, meaning it lives for just one year. It grows straight up and can reach a height of about 35 centimeters (that's roughly 14 inches).

Its stem can be a bit fuzzy or "woolly." Sometimes it has branches, and sometimes it doesn't. The plant's long, thin leaves grow in pairs, one on each side of the stem.

The plant's flower heads are quite small, less than a centimeter (about 0.4 inches) wide. They have tiny, hairy, leaf-like parts called phyllaries. The flowers themselves are a bright, golden yellow. Like other daisy family members, they have both "ray florets" (which look like petals) and "disc florets" (which are in the center).

After the flowers bloom, the plant produces tiny fruits called achenes. These are only about two millimeters long. Each achene has a special feathery or scaly top called a pappus, which helps the seeds float away and spread.