Rare plants comprise a significant portion of biodiversity hotspots, making them paramount for preserving species-rich areas in the face of the Anthropocene. In the California Floristic Province, a global hotspot for plant diversity, nearly 1/3 of the flora is considered rare. A. villosa var. aurita (Abrams) Jeps. – the Chapparal Sand-Verbena – is a rare species endemic to California, whose taxonomic boundaries, genetics, and evolutionary origin are poorly known. Morphological taxonomy suggests that A. villosa var. aurita and A. villosa var. villosa S. Watson are two varieties of the same species. However, a recent phylogenetic analysis for the genus indicates that A. villosa var. aurita and A. villosa var. villosa may not be monophyletic and thus do not comprise a single species. Relationships and species delimitation within A. villosa and between A. villosa and its allies, A. umbellata Lam. and A. gracilis Benth. warrant further study. To define species boundaries within the clade, multiple individuals and populations will be sampled within species to infer a high-resolution phylogeny using target sequencing (Angiosperms353). This project aims to test the hypothesis of A. villosa var. aurita being a separate species and assess the placement and genetic variability of members of the group in the context of conservation.