About Eryngium aristulatum subsp. aristulatum
Eryngium aristulatum subsp. aristulatum is a perennial herb. It has erect, rounded, naked stems that occasionally branch, and grows between 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) and nearly 1 meter (3.3 feet) tall. Its leaves grow near the plant base and at stem nodes; they are long, with edges ranging from serrated to toothed. The inflorescence produces rounded flowers, each accompanied by five to eight long, straight, spiky bracts. These bracts often have spiny edges, and can reach nearly 3 centimeters in length. Flowers have white petals and either white or purple styles. This subspecies blooms from June through August. It is native to California and Baja California, where it grows in wet locations including vernal pools and flooded meadows. It occurs in a range of habitat types: coast redwood forest, California mixed evergreen forest, California foothill oak woodland, yellow pine forest, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, coastal salt marsh, and wetland-riparian habitats.
