Filago gallica  L.   Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)   Europe   Narrow-Leaved Filago

                                             May Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Erect annual, simple or branched, 2-3 dm. high; lvs. alternate, appressed, subulate, 1-2.5 cm. long, grayish to green, cobwebby, those below the heads involucrate, divaricate; receptacle almost flat; heads 2-5, obconic, ca. 4 mm. high in small capitate clusters; invol. scanty, the phyllaries resembling the bracts of the cylindric to convex receptacle;  outer fls. pistillate, fertile, with tubular-filiform corolla, placed in several series, the outer epappose, and subtended by concave partly enclosing bracts, the inner bractless and with pappus of capillary bristles; central fls. 2-5, often sterile, bractless, with capillary pappus; marginal aks. completely enclosed in the subtending triangular pointed woolly bracts; aks. 0.5 mm. long.

Habitat:  Burns and waste places, San Diego Co. to n. Calif.; Santa Catalina Id.  April-June.

Name:  Latin, filum, thread, referring to the hairs.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 166).  I am unable to find the meaning of gallica in Jaeger but suspect it is the name of a place, probably ancient Gall which is France today.

General:  Rare in the study area having only been found on the burn area of Eastbluff.  Also found in 1988 on the bench northerly of and above 23rd Street.  Photographs are from both locations. (my comments).

Text Ref:  Hickman, Ed. 268; Munz, Calif. Flora 1264; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 166; Roberts 11.

Photo Ref:  April-May 85 # 22,23,24; May 2 88 # 24

Identity: by John Johnson.  

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 170.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 10/15/02.