Calandrinia breweri
Brewer's calandrinia
(c) Joe Decruyenaere, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Montiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Calandrinia breweri (Brewer's calandrinia) is a native California herb in the Montiaceae family, recognized by key distinguishing features are pedicel length and curvature in fruit.
Brewer's calandrinia is a California native annual found in northern and central California coastal ranges, central Sierra Nevada, coastal and southern California regions, and the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges in sandy to disturbed sites at elevations below 1,200 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces dull pink-purple flowers approximately 3 to 5 millimeters long in elongated racemes with curved pedicels. Growing with delicate stems 15 to 25 centimeters tall, it spreads in open, disturbed landscapes. Its leaves are 2 to 8 centimeters long, roughly ovate to spoon-shaped, with subtle ciliate edges. Small dark seeds, about 1 to 2 millimeters wide and elliptical in shape, are produced in clusters of 10 to 15.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; key distinguishing features are pedicel length and curvature in fruit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy to loamy soil, disturbed sites, burns
Elevation: < 1200 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, San Bernardino, Monterey, Riverside, Tehama, Sonoma, Colusa, Mendocino, Contra Costa, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Marin, Mariposa, Lake, Shasta, Tulare, Tuolumne, Mono, Solano
Outside California: northern Baja California
Bloom period
Calandrinia breweri blooms Feb-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
How to tell it apart
vs Clarkia: Calandrinia has red flowers with 5 petals; Clarkia has 4 petals often with lobes or notches.; vs Geranium: Calandrinia has simple red petals; Geranium has beak-like fruits and palmately-lobed leaves.; vs Cistanthe: Calandrinia has red petals and many seeds; Cistanthe has pink/white flowers, yellow anthers, and coastal habitat only.; vs Zeltnera: Calandrinia has separate red petals; Zeltnera has pink tubular flowers with petals fused at base.; vs Erodium: Calandrinia has red flowers and smooth capsules; Erodium has pink flowers and long-beaked fruits.
Frequently asked questions
Is Calandrinia breweri native to California?
Yes. Calandrinia breweri is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Calandrinia breweri bloom?
Calandrinia breweri blooms Feb-May.
Where in California does Calandrinia breweri grow?
Calandrinia breweri occurs in San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, San Bernardino and other counties, at elevations of < 1200 m.
What plant family does Calandrinia breweri belong to?
Calandrinia breweri is in the Montiaceae family, genus Calandrinia.
Is Calandrinia breweri rare or endangered?
Calandrinia breweri carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S4.
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.