Boerhavia sp.
Spiderling, Spiderling
Family: Nyctaginaceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Boerhavia sp. (Spiderling) is a non-native California perennial in the Nyctaginaceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
No. Boerhavia sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Boerhavia sp. belong to?
Boerhavia sp. is in the Nyctaginaceae family, genus Boerhavia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Boerhavia triquetra var. intermedia — Fivewing spiderling
- Boerhavia wrightii — Largebract spiderling
- Boerhavia coccinea — Scarlet spiderling
- Boerhavia coulteri
- Boerhavia coulteri var. coulteri
- Boerhavia coulteri var. palmeri — Coulter's spiderling
- Mirabilis albida — Dwarf four o'clock
- Mirabilis alipes — Winged four o'clock
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.