Aliciella monoensis
Mono lake aliciella
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Aliciella monoensis (Mono lake aliciella) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by expanded throat and pointed leaf segments distinguish from A. hutchinsifolia.
Mono lake aliciella is a California native annual found in the southeastern Sierra Nevada and eastern Mojave Desert in sandy soils, sagebrush scrub, and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 500 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white flowers with lavender streaks and yellow spots, 4 to 7 millimeters long with a distinctive expanded yellow-spotted throat. Growing 5 to 30 centimeters tall with spreading branches and a skunk-like odor, it has densely glandular-puberulent stems. Its basal leaves form an erect cluster 1 to 7 centimeters long, with 1-pinnate lobes that have widely obtuse to pointed tips, while cauline leaves are simple and linear. The ovoid fruit is 3 to 5 millimeters long with a pointed tip, containing 21 to 36 seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; expanded throat and pointed leaf segments distinguish from A. hutchinsifolia
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy soils, sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 500-2500 m
California counties: Inyo, Mono, San Bernardino
Outside California: to Oregon, Nevada
Bloom period
Aliciella monoensis blooms Apr-Jul.
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 monoensis native to California?
Yes. Aliciella monoensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Aliciella monoensis bloom?
Aliciella monoensis blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Aliciella monoensis grow?
Aliciella monoensis occurs in Inyo, Mono, San Bernardino, at elevations of 500-2500 m.
What plant family does Aliciella monoensis belong to?
Aliciella monoensis is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Aliciella.
What habitat does Aliciella monoensis grow in?
Aliciella monoensis grows in Sandy soils, sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland.
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.