genus
Wirelettuces
Stephanomeria
Field notes
Stephanomeria is a genus of North American plants also known as wirelettuce, belonging to the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae.
Stephanomeria species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Schinia scarletina, which feeds exclusively on the genus.
Annual species
Stephanomeria diegensis Gottlieb - San Diego wirelettuce - Baja California, southern California; Hybrid origin: S. exigua х S. virgata
Stephanomeria elata Nutt. - Santa Barbara wirelettuce - California and Oregon; 2n=32
Stephanomeria exigua Nutt. - small wirelettuce - widespread throughout western United States + Baja California; 2n=16
Stephanomeria hitchcockii Gand. - Kansas
Stephanomeria malheurensis Gottlieb - Malheur wirelettuce - Harney County in Oregon; 2n=16
Stephanomeria mexiae M.E.Jones - Chihuahua
Stephanomeria paniculata Nutt. - tufted wirelettuce - Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho; 2n=16
Stephanomeria virgata Benth. - rod wirelettuce - California, Oregon, Nevada, Baja California; 2n=16
Perennial species
Stephanomeria cichoriacea A.Gray - chicoryleaf wirelettuce - southern California; 2n=16
Stephanomeria fluminea Gottlieb - Teton wirelettuce - Endemic to northwestern Wyoming; 2n=16
Stephanomeria guadalupensis Brandegee - Endemic to Guadalupe Island in Baja California; 2n=16
Stephanomeria lactucina A.Gray - woodland wirelettuce - California, Oregon and Nevada; 2n=16
Stephanomeria monocephala Moran - Baja California
Stephanomeria occultata Wellard & J.W.Baker - Endemic to Weber River corridor, Northern Utah; 2n=16
Stephanomeria parryi A.Gray - Parry's wirelettuce - Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah; 2n=32
Stephanomeria pauciflora (Torr.) A.Nelson - Brownplume wirelettuce - widespread, southwestern United States; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora, Coahuila); 2n=16
Stephanomeria runcinata Nutt. - desert wirelettuce - Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, Alberta, Saskatchewan; 2n=16
Stephanomeria tenuifolia (Raf.) H.M.Hall - narrow-leaved wirelettuce - western United States; Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Baja California; 2n=16
Stephanomeria thurberi A.Gray - Thurber's wirelettuce - New Mexico, Arizona, Sonora, Texas; 2n=16
formerly included
see Chaetadelpha Microseris Munzothamnus Pleiacanthus Prenanthella
Read more on WikipediaChildren
- San Diego Wirelettuce native
- Brownplume Wirelettuce native
- Small Wirelettuce native
- Rod Wirelettuce native
- Silver Rock-lettuce native
- Narrow-leaved Wirelettuce native
- Lettuce Wirelettuce native
- Parry's Wirelettuce native
- Desert Skeletonplant native
- Santa Barbara Wirelettuce native
- Thurber's Wirelettuce
- Stephanomeria occultata native
- Tufted Wirelettuce native
- Teton Wirelettuce native
- Stephanomeria schottii
- Malheur Wirelettuce
Range
Greener is more native, amber more introduced; paler is less certain. How this was decided
Key traits
- Layer
- Shrubs
- Plant type
- Annual Perennial Shrub Wildflower
From USDA PLANTS.
Top native wirelettuces All
Native to the US, ranked by caterpillars, then bees and other hosts, food, flowers and shelter.
-
Brownplume Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria pauciflora
caterpillars
4
bees
7
food
1
flowers
20
-
Small Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria exigua
caterpillars
3
bees
7
flowers
34
-
Narrow-leaved Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria tenuifolia
caterpillars
3
bees
6
flowers
22
-
Rod Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria virgata
caterpillars
3
bees
5
food
1
flowers
19
-
San Diego Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria diegensis
caterpillars
3
bees
5
flowers
50
-
Silver Rock-lettuce
Stephanomeria cichoriacea
caterpillars
3
bees
5
flowers
18
-
Parry's Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria parryi
caterpillars
3
bees
5
flowers
16
-
Santa Barbara Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria elata
caterpillars
2
bees
3
flowers
16
-
Tufted Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria paniculata
caterpillars
2
bees
3
flowers
15
-
Lettuce Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria lactucina
caterpillars
2
bees
2
flowers
14
-
Desert Skeletonplant
Stephanomeria runcinata
caterpillars
1
bees
1
flowers
12
-
Stephanomeria occultata
bees
1
flowers
11
-
Teton Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria fluminea
bees
1
flowers
7