Eryngium racemosum Jepson

Eryngium racemosum Jepson, Fl. Calif. 2: 659. 1936
Slender, caulescent, prostrate or decumbent, glabrous perennials, 1-3 dm. high or long, from a fascicle of woody-fibrous roots, the stems several, branching above; basal leaves lanceolate, 2-5 cm. long, 4-8 mm. broad, acute, subentire to spinulose-serrate, the venation reticulate; petioles slender, elongate, septate, 1-4 dm. long, greatly exceeding the blades; cauline leaves like the basal, but sessile and reduced above, opposite, spinulose-serrate; inflorescence falsely racemose, the heads small, numerous, pedunculate, the flowers rather few; heads globose-ovoid, 4-8 mm. in diameter; bracts about 8, rigid, linear, 8-10 mm. long, mucronate, spinose-serrate near the base, exceeding the heads; bractlets like the bracts, 5-10 mm. long, entire, mucronate, scarious-winged at the base, exceeding the fruit; coma wanting; sepals ovate, 1-1.5 mm. long, acute, mucronate, scarious-margined; petals oblanceolate, 1 mm. long; styles slightly exceeding the sepals; fruit ovoid, 1.5 mm. long, densely covered with short, appressed, white or tawny, lanceolate-acuminate, subequal scales 0.5 mm. long.
Type locality: San Joaquin City, California, Jepson 10,287. Distribution: San Joaquin Delta, central California (Hoover 706).