Flower, Monterey Bay Coast.
Coastal plains, sandy soil, near cliffs.
Five-petaled yellow/orange flower that grows singley on thin stem. Leaves are thin, oval shaped. Leaf arrangement indistinguishable. Single oval shaped stigma, various thin stamen.
There are a half dozen or so of these 3- or 4-foot tall shrubs growing between slabs of granite on the north side of a hill in the Jurupa Hills. I'm pretty sure it's this Palmer's Oak: https://www.pe.com/2019/05/25/is-jurupa-valley-oak-tree-a-13000-year-old-ice-age-relic-threatened-by-new-homes-project/
The 13,000 - 18,000 year old “Jurupa Oak”
A well-known large clonal Palmer's Oak patch known as the "Jurupa Oak".
It was discovered in the 1990's and has been determined to be at least 13,000 years old, making it probably the third oldest living plant of earth. A relic plant from the Pleistocene era.
Covering about 125 square meters, this plant is now threatened by encroaching development. Disjunct by almost 30 miles to others of the same species.
Considering that tomorrow is New Year's Day, it was a good time to visit the plant and a good time to celebrate the plant - which has seen 13,000 "New Year's" in its life.
Happy New Year's Day!!!
The Jurupa Oak ~ 13,000 years old