Lipochaeta rockii is a suffruticose perennial herb with arcuate-spreading, erect stems measuring 50-100 cm long. The leaves are opposite, ovate to deltate, 4-7.3(-10) cm long, and 2.5-5(-7.5) cm wide. Both surfaces of the leaves are hispidulous, with hairs that are rarely appressed and nearly always have pustulate bases. The leaves are deeply 3-5-lobed to subentire, with the terminal segment being lanceolate to ovate. Petioles are 0.9-2.5 cm long with winged margins, or the leaves may be sessile with connate-perfoliate bases. The flowers are arranged in simple or compound cymes. The outer involucral bracts are ovate, (2.5-)3-5.3 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, hispidulous, with an acute apex. The chaffy bracts are purple near the apex. Each flower head contains 7-12 ray florets with oblong rays (5-)7-10(-11.5) mm long and 2.3-4.3 mm wide. There are 20-45(-55) disk florets per head, with corollas that are 4-merous and 2.8-3.5(-4) mm long. The anthers are 1.3-1.7 mm long. The pappus consists of connate scales forming an uneven corona tipped with short deciduous awns. The fruit is tuberculate, with wings approximately 0.5 mm long. Ray achenes are 2.2-3.1 mm long and 1.1-2 mm wide, while disk achenes are 2.1-3 mm long and 1-2 mm wide. It occurs in coastal sites, dry shrubland, and forests, often in disturbed areas, and the margins of lava flow between 0-550 meters.
Bean-shaped (Reniform): Resembling the shape of a kidney or bean.
Square or Oblong: Angular shape with all sides more or less equal or longer than wide.
Triangular: Three-sided shape, broadest below the middle.
Elliptic: Rounded at both ends. shaped like an ellipse or oval.
Ovate or Obovate: egg-shaped, broader at one end.
Linear: Extremely long and narrow, with sides usually parallel.
Round: Appears circular, with length and width roughly the same.
Cardioid (Heart-Shaped): One edge has a prominent double curve into two lobes.
Cylindrical: A cylinder with parallel sides and a circular cross-section.
Discoid: Resembling a disc or plate with two relatively flat surfaces.
Fusiform: Spindle-shaped, tapering at both ends.
Globose: Spherical.
Lenticular: Resembling a lens with two convex surfaces.
Ovoid: Egg-shaped.
Plano-convex: Having a flat ventral (planar) surface and a curved dorsal (convex) surface.
Polygonal: Having more than three flat faces meeting at angles.
Sectoroid: Resembling a segment of an orange with two relatively flat faces and one curved face.
Subglobose/ellipsoid: Inflated shape but less than spherical.
Trigonous: Having three faces that meet at a distinct angle; triangular in cross-section.
Endangered species (E) are species that are so rare they’re in danger of becoming extinct.
Threatened species (T) are species that are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their range.
Species of Concern (SOC) are species about which there are some concerns regarding status and threats, but insufficient information is available to list the species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Plant Extinction Prevention (PEP) is a state status for rare plants that focuses its efforts on species that have fewer than 50 remaining wild individuals.
Orthodox seeds (desiccation-tolerant): can be dried to an internal seed moisture of less than 12% water and stored at freezing temperatures.
Intermediate seeds (temperature-sensitive) tend to age faster than orthodox seeds and may have only a 5-year lifespan when stored at -20°C. They are recommended for storage at 5°C.
Recalcitrant seeds (desiccation-sensitive): cannot be stored in a conventional freezer as they cannot survive after drying and/or freezing at -20°C. They are recommended for cryopreservation storage.