Boerhavia coulteri
(c) Rachel Stringham, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Nyctaginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Boerhavia coulteri is a native California herb in the Nyctaginaceae family, recognized by Annual; spike-like raceme with deciduous bracts; glabrous, ~5-ribbed fruit wrinkled between ribs.
Boerhavia coulteri is a California native annual herb found in desert and southern California regions in dry, open habitats. Flowering from September to November, this plant produces delicate pink to pale pink flowers less than 2 millimeters long in spike-like racemes. Growing with decumbent to erect stems up to 80 centimeters tall and covered in fine puberulent hairs, it has a distinctive spreading habit. Its leaves are lanceolate to ovate-triangular with slightly acute tips, typically arranged along the stems. The fruit is narrow and wrinkled, featuring five prominent wide ribs with a rounded to truncate tip.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Annual; spike-like raceme with deciduous bracts; glabrous, ~5-ribbed fruit wrinkled between ribs
Bloom period
Boerhavia coulteri blooms Sep-Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Allionia: Boerhavia has loose, open flower clusters; Allionia has exactly 3 flowers tightly grouped in bract cups.; vs Eriogonum: Boerhavia has opposite leaves and tiny bell flowers; Eriogonum has basal leaf rosettes and papery flower bracts.; vs Mirabilis: Boerhavia has tiny bell flowers under 5mm in loose clusters; Mirabilis has larger flowers in 5-bract cups.; vs Lantana: Boerhavia has tiny single bell flowers and sprawling stems; Lantana has dense rounded heads of tubular flowers.; vs Abronia: Boerhavia has tiny scattered flowers in loose clusters; Abronia has dense rounded pom-pom flower heads.
Frequently asked questions
Is Boerhavia coulteri native to California?
Yes. Boerhavia coulteri is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Boerhavia coulteri bloom?
Boerhavia coulteri blooms Sep-Nov.
What plant family does Boerhavia coulteri belong to?
Boerhavia coulteri is in the Nyctaginaceae family, genus Boerhavia.
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.