| | 1. Hairs of lower leaf surface dense, curly-wavy, interwoven, not appressed toward leaf tip (felt-like) |
| |
| | 2. Leaf margin slightly to conspicuously rolled under and wavy; pistillate flowers (1–)3 per bract; inflorescence in fruit 18–28 mm wide; n&c-w California (to n Outer South Coast Ranges) |
| G. elliptica |
| | 2' Leaf margin generally flat to slightly rolled under, sometimes slightly wavy; pistillate flowers 1(–3) per bract; inflorescence in fruit 13–18 mm wide; ± s California (to c Outer South Coast Ranges, San Luis Obispo Co.) |
| G. veatchii |
| | 1' Hairs of lower leaf surface 0 to dense, straight to wavy, appressed toward leaf tip (not felt-like) |
| |
| | 3. Hairs of lower leaf surface 0 (rarely sparse on young leaves); fruit glabrous (sometimes sparsely hairy near tip) |
| G. fremontii |
| | 3' Hairs of lower leaf surface sparse to dense; fruit densely hairy throughout, glabrous throughout, or sparsely hairy near tip |
| |
| | 4. Hairs of lower leaf surface dense, soft, wavy |
| G. congdonii |
| | 4' Hairs of lower leaf surface ± 0 to dense, ± coarse, straight to slightly curved |
| |
| | 5. Fruit glabrous or sparsely hairy near tip; hairs of lower leaf surface generally dense; nw California |
| G. buxifolia |
| | 5' Fruit densely hairy, generally throughout; hairs of lower leaf surface ± 0 to ± dense; especially c&s California (sometimes nw California) |
| G. flavescens
|