Amsinckia lunaris
Bent-flowered fiddleneck, bent-flowered fiddleneck, bent-flowered fiddleneck
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Amsinckia lunaris (Bent-flowered fiddleneck) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by bent flower tube highly diagnostic.
Bent-flowered fiddleneck is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in the North Coast Ranges, southwestern Sacramento Valley, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area in gravelly slopes, grasslands, and woodland openings, often on serpentine soils at elevations of 50 to 800 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces orange flowers with two distinctive dark spots, measuring 7 to 10 millimeters long with a bent corolla tube. Growing with erect, slender stems, it develops a delicate and graceful form across grassland habitats. Its narrow leaves are arranged along the stem, contributing to its slender, elegant appearance. The small fruits are 2.5 to 4 millimeters long, characterized by sharp tubercles that add texture to the plant's overall structure.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 12 sympatric species; bent flower tube highly diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Gravelly slopes, grassland, openings in woodland, often serpentine
Elevation: (5)50-800 m
California counties: Lake, Contra Costa, Colusa, San Mateo, Monterey, Santa Clara, Sutter, Fresno, Merced, Napa, Tulare, Marin, Madera, Sonoma, Santa Cruz, Alameda, Humboldt, San Diego
Bloom period
Amsinckia lunaris blooms Mar-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Phacelia: Amsinckia always has orange or yellow flowers; Phacelia flowers are blue, purple, or white.; vs Plantago: Amsinckia has coiled orange flower clusters; Plantago has dense spikes with tiny white-brown flowers.; vs Helminthotheca: Amsinckia has bristly stems but simple leaves; Helminthotheca leaves are prickly-bumpy textured.; vs Echium: Amsinckia flowers are orange-yellow; Echium flowers are blue-purple and distinctly lopsided.; vs Camissoniopsis: Amsinckia has coiled flower clusters; Camissoniopsis has 4-petaled evening primrose flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amsinckia lunaris native to California?
Yes. Amsinckia lunaris is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Amsinckia lunaris bloom?
Amsinckia lunaris blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Amsinckia lunaris grow?
Amsinckia lunaris occurs in Lake, Contra Costa, Colusa, San Mateo, Monterey, Santa Clara, Sutter, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of (5)50-800 m.
What plant family does Amsinckia lunaris belong to?
Amsinckia lunaris is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Amsinckia.
Is Amsinckia lunaris rare or endangered?
Amsinckia lunaris carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.