Wollastonia lavarum is a suffruticose perennial herb with erect stems that range from 30 to 200 cm long, and the stems do not root at the nodes. The leaves are opposite, simple, and petiolate. The blades are linear, lanceolate, elliptic to narrowly ovate, measuring (2.3-)3-6.5(-8) cm long and (0.6-)0.8-1.5 cm wide. The leaves are grayish-green, thin, herbaceous, and densely strigillose, especially on the lower surface. The margins are entire to serrate, and the base is cuneate to attenuate. The petioles are 0.5-1.5 cm long with winged margins. The flowers are arranged in heads that are either solitary or in clusters of 2-3. The outer involucral bracts are ovate to oblong, measuring (3.0-)3.8-6.5(-11) mm long and 2.0-2.6 mm wide, strigillose, with an acute to rounded apex. The chaffy bracts are tan throughout. The ray florets 8-10 per head, with oblong rays (9-)10-15 mm long and 4-6.2 mm wide. The disk florets number 40-60 per head, measuring 3.2-4.1 mm long, with anthers that are 1.6-2 mm long. The pappus consists of scales forming an uneven corona tipped with short, deciduous awns. The fruit is a simple, dry achene, nearly smooth, with a fringe of scales on the distal outer rim. Ray achenes are 2.2-2.8(-3.2) mm long and about 3 mm wide, with wings approximately 0.5 mm wide. Disk achenes are 2.2-3 mm long, 1.6-2.3 mm wide, with wings about 0.2 mm wide. It is found in coastal and dry-forest environments 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.