Layia discoidea (Rayless Layia)
Credit: Aaron Schusteff
about the species
Layia discoidea (rayless layia) is a neo-endemic of serpentine exposures in the inner South Coast Ranges of California. It has been shown to have descended from an ancestor within L. glandulosa (white layia); together, they constitute the Layia glandulosa species complex. Morphologically, L. discoidea differs from L. glandulosa in striking ways, including the absence of showy ray flowers in L. discoidea, although the two taxa are completely interfertile.
why species was selected
Layia discoidea (rayless layia) is a rare and endangered taxon that provides an excellent example of recent evolutionary divergence onto serpentine soils, which harbor about 10% of the endemic plant species in California. Serpentine soils have physical and chemical properties that pose major challenges to plant survival, and improved understanding of evolutionary transitions to serpentine is important for resolving the origins of some of California's rarest plants.
