Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora
Few flowered collinsia
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · licence
Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora (Few flowered collinsia) is a native California herb in the Plantaginaceae family, recognized by larger flowers and prominent pouch distinctive.
Few flowered collinsia is a California native annual found in northern Coast Ranges, northern inner Coast Ranges, California Roasted Flats, northern and central Sierra Nevada Foothills, Central Valley, and northern Central Western California in grassy, sometimes disturbed or rocky places, chaparral, oak woodland, and dry mixed woodland at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces delicate flowers with a distinctive throat strongly angled to the tube, creating a unique pouch-like appearance. Growing 5 to 30 centimeters tall with an upright and slender form, it spreads gracefully in open woodland and grassland environments. Its leaves are arranged along the stem, complementing the plant's delicate structural characteristics. The flowers range from 7 to 20 millimeters long, presenting a subtle yet intricate botanical display.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 14 sympatric species; larger flowers and prominent pouch distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassy, sometimes disturbed or rocky places, chaparral, oak woodland, dry mixed woodland
Elevation: < 1000 m
California counties: Sonoma, Modoc, Lake, Humboldt, San Luis Obispo, Nevada, Napa, Glenn, Tehama, Marin, Mendocino, Yolo, Colusa, Butte, Solano, San Mateo, San Francisco, El Dorado, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Tulare, Placer, Monterey
Outside California: Oregon
Bloom period
Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Penstemon: Collinsia has stamens hidden in keeled lower lip; Penstemon has stamens visible with one sterile 'beard.'; vs Stachys: Collinsia has a keeled lower petal hiding stamens; Stachys has square stems and flowers in tight whorls.; vs Lupinus: Collinsia has snapdragon-like flowers; Lupinus has pea-family flowers with banner, wings, and keel.; vs Linaria: Collinsia has keeled lower lip hiding stamens; Linaria has spurred flowers with protruding stamens.
Frequently asked questions
Is Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora native to California?
Yes. Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora bloom?
Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora grow?
Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora occurs in Sonoma, Modoc, Lake, Humboldt, San Luis Obispo, Nevada, Napa, Glenn and other counties, at elevations of < 1000 m.
What plant family does Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora belong to?
Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Collinsia.
What habitat does Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora grow in?
Collinsia sparsiflora var. sparsiflora grows in Grassy, sometimes disturbed or rocky places, chaparral, oak woodland, dry mixed woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Collinsia tinctoria — Sticky chinese houses
- Collinsia torreyi — Torrey's blue eyed mary
- Collinsia torreyi var. latifolia — Broad leafed collinsia
- Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi — Torrey's blue eyed mary
- Collinsia torreyi var. wrightii — Wright's blue eyed mary
- Collinsia wakahlmae — Merced river collinsia
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.