Ericameria cuneata (A. Gray) Mc Clatchie

Variety spathulata extends into Mexico. It is reported to hybridize with Ericameria nauseosa.

Plants 10–100 cm. Stems spreading to ascending or erect, green when young, highly branched, glabrous, gland-dotted (sometimes in pits), resinous. Leaves ascending-spreading; blades cuneate to spatulate, 2–25 × 2–16 mm, midnerves evident or faint, (margins usually flat) apices rounded, obtuse, or retuse, sometimes mucronate, faces glabrous, gland-dotted (in pits), thickly resinous; axillary leaf fascicles rarely present . Heads usually borne singly, sometimes in rounded, cymiform arrays (to 5 × 8 cm). Peduncles 2–10 mm (bracts 0–10+, scalelike). Involucres turbinate to narrowly campanulate, 6–12.5 × 4–14 mm. Phyllaries 20–60 in 3–7 series, tan, ovate to lanceolate, 2–6 × 0.5–2.5 mm, unequal, mostly chartaceous, sometimes each with herbaceous subapical patch, midnerves evident on proximal ¹ / 2 or throughout, subapical resin ducts 0 or slightly darker, thickened and expanded, (margins membranous, weakly lacerate) apices acute to acuminate or obtuse, abaxial faces glabrous. Ray florets 0(–7); laminae 3–4.3 × 1–1.5 mm. Disc florets 7–70; corollas ca. 5.5 mm. Cypselae tan to brown, turbinate, 2.5–3 mm, sericeous to villous; pappi off-white to brown, 6.5–8 mm. 2n = 18.

Haplopappus cuneatus A. Gray, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 635. 1873 (as Aplopappus)

Ericameria cuneata is a species of flowering shrub in the family Asteraceae known by the common name cliff goldenbush. This plant is native to the southwestern United States (California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico) and northwestern Mexico (Baja California).

Ericameria cuneata grows on cliffs, mountainsides, and rocky hillsides. It is a small, glandular shrub sometimes reaching as much as 100 cm (40 inches) in height. Its wavy-edged leaves are rounded and oval-shaped, often with visible resin glands, and up to 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) long. Atop each of the many erect branches is an inflorescence of several golden yellow flower heads, each with few or up to 70 disc florets and sometimes a few short ray florets.

Varieties Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata - California Ericameria cuneata var. macrocephala Urbatsch - San Diego County in California Ericameria cuneata var. spathulata (A.Gray) H.M.Hall - California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Baja California