Xylorhiza cognata Calflora

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Taxon Report

Xylorhiza cognata (H. M. Hall) T. J. Watson

Mecca aster, Mecca woodyaster

Xylorhiza cognata is a perennial herb that is native to California, and endemic (limited) to California.

also called Machaeranthera cognata

California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.2 (rare, threatened, or endangered in CA and elsewhere).


	Plant Range Observation Search ~176 records in California Plant Characteristics one or more occurrences within a 7.5-minute quadrangle

Bloom Period

Photos on Calflora


Genus:	Xylorhiza
Family:	Asteraceae
Category:	angiosperm
PLANTS group:	Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: eudicot

Communities: Creosote Bush Scrub

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + CNPS + PLANTS + POWO

Alternate Names:


JEF + PLANTS	Aster cognatus
PLANTS	Aster standleyi
JEF + CNPS + PLANTS	Machaeranthera cognata
PLANTS	Xylorhiza standleyi

Information about Xylorhiza cognata from other sources


Nursery availability from CNPLX Commercial availability unknown. Jepson eFlora USDA PLANTS Profile (XYCO2) Photos on Calflora Photos on CalPhotos Google Images Photos on iNaturalist ID Tips on PlantID.net	ITIS Original Publication citation International Plants Names Index Search efloras.org (Flora of North America) Landscape information from Calscape BONAP Distribution Map CNPS Inventory: 1B.2 Consortium of California Herbaria 2 Search the Native American Ethnobotany Database	Add an Observation Location Suitability Planting Guide Distribution by County
[Wikipedia] Limited Range: The shrub is endemic to the Colorado Desert within southern California, in Riverside County and Imperial County.[2] Most known populations are in the Mecca Hills and Indio Hills, located on the southeast side of the Coachella Valley and northeast of the Salton Sea.[2][4][1] (link added by Mary Ann Machi) photos / record / common / links

Suggested Citation

Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2025. The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/ (Accessed: 04/01/2025).