Camissonia strigulosa
Contorted primrose
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Camissonia strigulosa (Contorted primrose) is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by distinctive fine appressed hairs.
Contorted primrose is a California native annual found on the southern edge of the Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi, Central Western, and Southwestern California regions in open sandy soils of dunes, grassland, and desert scrub at elevations below 2,100 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces yellow flowers that fade to reddish tones, with subtle basal spots and petals 2.1 to 4.5 millimeters long. Growing with slender, wiry stems up to 50 centimeters tall that peel and have a decumbent or erect habit, it spreads with a distinctive minutely strigose texture. Its narrow leaves range from 8 to 35 millimeters long, linear to narrowly elliptic with delicate minute serrations along the edges. The fruit develops as a slender pod 15 to 45 millimeters long, often slightly swollen with seeds and appearing straight or gently wavy.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species; distinctive fine appressed hairs
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open sandy soils of dunes, grassland, desert scrub
Elevation: < 2100 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Riverside, Orange, San Diego, Monterey, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Marin, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Alameda, San Benito, Fresno, Tulare, Madera, Inyo, Sutter, San Mateo, Humboldt, Lake, Contra Costa, Merced
Outside California: northern Baja California
Bloom period
Camissonia strigulosa blooms Mar-May.
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 strigulosa native to California?
Yes. Camissonia strigulosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Camissonia strigulosa bloom?
Camissonia strigulosa blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Camissonia strigulosa grow?
Camissonia strigulosa occurs in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Riverside, Orange, San Diego, Monterey, San Francisco and other counties, at elevations of < 2100 m.
What plant family does Camissonia strigulosa belong to?
Camissonia strigulosa is in the Onagraceae family, genus Camissonia.
What habitat does Camissonia strigulosa grow in?
Camissonia strigulosa grows in Open sandy soils of dunes, grassland, desert scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Camissonia benitensis — San benito evening-primrose
- Camissonia campestris — Field primrose
- Camissonia campestris subsp. campestris
- Camissonia campestris subsp. obispoensis
- Camissonia contorta — Contorted sun cup
- Camissonia integrifolia — Kern river evening-primrose
- Camissoniopsis bistorta — California sun cup
- Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia — Beach evening-primrose
- Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia subsp. cheiranthifolia
- Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia subsp. suffruticosa
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.