California Biddy Biddy

Acaena californica Bitter, Bibl. Bot. 17 74 : 116.* 1910
Acaena pinnatifida H. & A. Bot. Beech. Voy. 339. 1838. Not A. pinnalifida R. & P. 1798. Acaena trijida (Torr. Pacif. R. R. Rep. 4: 84; hyponvm. 1857.) Brewer & Wats. Bot. Calif. 1: 186. 1876. Not 4. trijida R. & P. 1798.
Perennial, with a woody caudex; stems 1-4 dm. high, sparingly villous, simple; basal leaves crowded, with 11-17 leaflets, glabrous or slightly ciliate and green above, grayishand appressed-silky beneath; leaflets 5-10 mm. long, obovate in outline, pinnatifld, with 3-7 linear or linear-lanceolate, callous-tipped divisions ; stem-leaves similar but smaller and the divisions of the leaflets usually only 3; spike globose to oblong-cylindric, usually with some scattered solitary flowers or small clusters below; flowers greenish; calyx-lobes linear-oblong, about 3 mm. long, spreading; filaments long-exserted, purple, as well as the didymous anthers; style about 1 mm. long; stigma many-cleft; fruit ovate, about 4 mm. long, 3-4-angled, with 2-4 stout prickles on the angles and smaller ones in the intervals.
Type locality: California.
Distribution: Central California, near the coast.