Camissonia sierrae
Sierra sun cup
(c) Chris Winchell, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Camissonia sierrae (Sierra sun cup) is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by narrowest fruits and large seeds.
Sierra sun cup is a California native annual found in mountainous regions, typically growing in rocky or open habitats at elevations of 1,500 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this delicate plant produces bright yellow flowers that fade to reddish tones, with petals 2 to 7 millimeters long. Growing with slender, decumbent to ascending stems less than 15 centimeters tall that have peeling bark and coarse spreading hairs, it has a distinctive branching habit. Its narrow leaves are 5 to 18 millimeters long, lanceolate to elliptic in shape, with few or minimal teeth along the margins. The plant produces elongated fruits 20 to 30 millimeters long that are slightly swollen with seeds, creating an intricate seed dispersal mechanism.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; narrowest fruits and large seeds
Habitat and range
California counties: Madera, Tuolumne
How to tell it apart
vs Camissoniopsis: Camissonia flowers from top with round fruits; Camissoniopsis flowers from base with four-angled fruits.; vs Eulobus: Camissonia has plain yellow petals; Eulobus has elegant wands with red flecks at petal bases.; vs Chylismia: Camissonia has narrow leaves up the stem; Chylismia has dandelion-like basal leaves.; vs Taraxia: Camissonia flowers from upper stem; Taraxia flowers open from ground level at night.; vs Eschscholzia: Camissonia has four petals and cylindrical fruits; Eschscholzia has dissected leaves and poppy-like flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Camissonia sierrae native to California?
Yes. Camissonia sierrae is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Camissonia sierrae grow?
Camissonia sierrae occurs in Madera, Tuolumne.
What plant family does Camissonia sierrae belong to?
Camissonia sierrae is in the Onagraceae family, genus Camissonia.
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.