Aliciella leptomeria
Sand aliciella
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Aliciella leptomeria (Sand aliciella) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by purple tube color.
Sand aliciella is a native annual found in the Great Basin and Desert Mountains in open, sandy or rocky areas at elevations of 800 to 2,100 meters. Flowering from April to June, this delicate plant produces thread-like purple and white flowers with a yellow throat, approximately 4 to 7 millimeters long. Growing with ascending branches 7 to 23 centimeters tall and covered in glandular hairs, it forms slender, open stems. Its basal leaves are lanceolate or widely linear, 1 to 6 centimeters long, with rounded, mucronate lobes, while cauline leaves are narrow and entire. The plant produces many small, narrowly ellipsoid fruits 3 to 5 millimeters long, matching the length of its calyx.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; purple tube color is diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Open, sandy or rocky areas
Elevation: 800-2100 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono, Modoc, Lassen, Riverside, Los Angeles
Outside California: to Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico
Bloom period
Aliciella leptomeria blooms Apr-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Gilia: Aliciella has wheel-shaped flowers with spreading lobes; Gilia has funnel-shaped flowers with a tube.; vs Phacelia: Aliciella leaves are cleanly feather-divided; Phacelia leaves are more irregularly lobed or toothed.; vs Linanthus: Aliciella smells skunky when crushed; Linanthus lacks this odor.; vs Lathrocasis: Aliciella has deeply divided compound leaves; Lathrocasis has simple, undivided leaves.; vs Allophyllum: Aliciella has wheel-shaped flowers; Allophyllum has funnel-shaped flowers and long fuzzy hairs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Aliciella leptomeria native to California?
Yes. Aliciella leptomeria is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Aliciella leptomeria bloom?
Aliciella leptomeria blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Aliciella leptomeria grow?
Aliciella leptomeria occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono, Modoc, Lassen, Riverside, Los Angeles, at elevations of 800-2100 m.
What plant family does Aliciella leptomeria belong to?
Aliciella leptomeria is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Aliciella.
What habitat does Aliciella leptomeria grow in?
Aliciella leptomeria grows in Common. Open, sandy or rocky areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.