Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans
Harvest brodiaea, Harvest Brodiaea
Tom Hilton (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY
Family: Themidaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans (Harvest brodiaea) is a native California herb in the Themidaceae family, recognized by opaque non-splitting tube diagnostic.
Harvest brodiaea is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, California Rocky Forest, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, San Bernardino Mountains, and Peninsular Ranges in grasslands, meadows, open woodlands, and chaparral at elevations up to 2,430 meters. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces violet flowers with ascending perianth lobes 17.5 to 30 millimeters long, creating a distinctive funnel-shaped bloom. Growing with a stout scape 10 to 50 centimeters tall, it emerges from an underground corm with elegant, slender stems. Its leaves are narrow and grass-like, emerging from the base of the plant and remaining inconspicuous during flowering. The flower's intricate structure includes white staminodes held away from the stamens, adding to its delicate and sophisticated appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species; opaque non-splitting tube diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassland, meadows, open woodland, chaparral, occasionally serpentine
Elevation: < 2430 m
California counties: Mendocino, Fresno, Lake, Nevada, Madera, Mariposa, Humboldt, Del Norte, Tulare, Amador, Butte, Tehama, Trinity, Merced, Tuolumne, Sierra, Marin, El Dorado, Siskiyou, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Colusa, Solano, Stanislaus, Sonoma, San Joaquin, Calaveras, San Bernardino, Napa, Contra Costa, San Luis Obispo, Placer, Modoc, Sacramento, Alameda, Glenn, Monterey, Plumas, San Benito, San Francisco, Yuba, Sutter, Shasta, San Diego, Yolo
Bloom period
Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans blooms Apr-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Triteleia: Count the stamens: Brodiaea has 3 fertile stamens, Triteleia has 6.; vs Dipterostemon: Brodiaea has straight flower stalks; Dipterostemon stalks curve or bend.; vs Dichelostemma: Brodiaea stalks stay straight and upright; Dichelostemma stalks curve, twist, or twine.; vs Sisyrinchium: Brodiaea flowers are tubular; Sisyrinchium flowers are flat and star-shaped.; vs Scilla: Brodiaea has tubular flowers with visible stamens inside; Scilla has bell-shaped flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans native to California?
Yes. Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans bloom?
Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans blooms Apr-Aug.
Where in California does Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans grow?
Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans occurs in Mendocino, Fresno, Lake, Nevada, Madera, Mariposa, Humboldt, Del Norte and other counties, at elevations of < 2430 m.
What plant family does Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans belong to?
Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans is in the Themidaceae family, genus Brodiaea.
What habitat does Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans grow in?
Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans grows in Grassland, meadows, open woodland, chaparral, occasionally serpentine.
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.