5 Petals, Free, Tiny Radial Flowers in Dense Heads

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• Flowers in Umbels, Herbs (Not Bushes or Trees)
  • Amaranthaceae (Amaranth Family)

    -- Amaranthus fimbriatus (Fringe Amaranth) --  --  --

  • Apiaceae (Carrot Family)

    -- Lomatium -- Sanicle -- Eryngium (Button Celery) - Vernal Pools --  --

  • Valerianaceae (Valerian Family)

    -- Plectritis ciliosa (Plectritis) --  -- Flowers look as if 4 petals -- Described Jepson Manual as "2-lipped", with 2 petals apparently fused.

• Bushes and Trees

  Anacardiaceae (Sumac aka Cashew Family) -- Rhus integrifolia (Lemonadeberry) -- Rhus trilobata (Skunkbrush)

  Adoxaceae (Adoxa Family) -- Sambucus (Elderberry) --   Large Shrub, common coastal & foothills, below 3500 ft. --   Flowers clustered in dense heads. --  -- Some members of this Family are Bilateral.

  Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family) -- 4, 5, or 6 Petal-like Sepals No true Petals -- Leaves alternate with swollen nodes. -- Stamens 2 to 9, often in 2 Whorls -- Ovary superior with 2 or 3 branched Style

  Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn Family) -- Adolphia californica (Spinebush) -- Ceanothus greggii (Lilac) --  -- Rhamnus ilicifolia (Red-leaf Hollyberry) also in this Family but has 4 Petals

  Rosaceae (Rose Family) -- Adenostoma (Chamise)