Cicendia quadrangularis
Timwort, Timwort
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Family: Gentianaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Cicendia quadrangularis (Timwort) is a native California herb in the Gentianaceae family, recognized by Small genus with limited North American representation; this species represents the genus's only presence in California.
Timwort is a California native annual found in northern coastal, north Coast Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, Central Valley, and central coastal regions in open places at elevations below 2,700 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces small white to pale flowers less than 10 millimeters long with rounded lobes. Growing with delicate stems less than 9 centimeters tall, the plant can be simple or branched near its base. Its leaves are small, measuring 4 to 9 millimeters long, and range from ovate to lanceolate in shape, positioned along the stem between internodes. The tiny flowers have a hemispheric calyx tube with wide, truncate sinuses between minutely triangular lobes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Small genus with limited North American representation; this species represents the genus's only presence in California
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open places
Elevation: < 2700 m
California counties: Tuolumne, San Mateo, Stanislaus, Marin, Butte, Tulare, Sonoma, Sacramento, Contra Costa, Solano, Tehama, Sutter, Shasta, Glenn, Calaveras, Merced, Mendocino, Napa, Humboldt, San Luis Obispo, Alameda, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Mariposa, Madera, Monterey, Yuba, El Dorado
Outside California: to Oregon, South America
Bloom period
Cicendia quadrangularis blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Lasthenia: Cicendia has tubular yellow flowers with 4 petals; Lasthenia has daisy-like flower heads with ray and disk flowers.; vs Zeltnera: Cicendia has yellow flowers; Zeltnera has pink, purple, or white flowers.; vs Centaurium: Cicendia has yellow flowers; Centaurium has pink, purple, or white flowers.; vs Gentianopsis: Cicendia has yellow flowers; Gentianopsis has blue to violet flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cicendia quadrangularis native to California?
Yes. Cicendia quadrangularis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cicendia quadrangularis bloom?
Cicendia quadrangularis blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Cicendia quadrangularis grow?
Cicendia quadrangularis occurs in Tuolumne, San Mateo, Stanislaus, Marin, Butte, Tulare, Sonoma, Sacramento and other counties, at elevations of < 2700 m.
What plant family does Cicendia quadrangularis belong to?
Cicendia quadrangularis is in the Gentianaceae family, genus Cicendia.
What habitat does Cicendia quadrangularis grow in?
Cicendia quadrangularis grows in Open places.
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.