Collinsia torreyi
Torrey's blue eyed mary
(c) Brian Finzel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Collinsia torreyi (Torrey's blue eyed mary) is a native California herb in the Plantaginaceae family.
Torrey's blue eyed mary is a California native annual found in open grasslands and coastal areas, typically growing at moderate elevations. Flowering from March to May, this delicate plant produces distinctive blue and white flowers with an intriguing two-toned appearance, where the lower lip is deep blue and the upper lip is pale white or lavender. Growing with slender stems 5 to 25 centimeters tall, it forms an open, glandular inflorescence with some flower pedicels becoming strongly curved in fruit. Its leaves are arranged along the stem with uppermost bracts measuring just 0 to 2 millimeters long, contributing to its delicate appearance. The flower's unique throat is angled and as wide as it is long, with subtle projections at the base of each lobe that barely extend from the throat opening.
Habitat and range
California counties: Fresno, Mariposa, Placer, Shasta, Mono, Tuolumne, Tulare, Siskiyou, Tehama, Calaveras, Modoc, Lassen, Los Angeles, El Dorado, Ventura, Inyo, Nevada, Plumas, Madera, Kern, San Bernardino, Sierra, Alpine, Butte, Glenn, Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, Amador
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 torreyi native to California?
Yes. Collinsia torreyi is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Collinsia torreyi grow?
Collinsia torreyi occurs in Fresno, Mariposa, Placer, Shasta, Mono, Tuolumne, Tulare, Siskiyou and other counties.
What plant family does Collinsia torreyi belong to?
Collinsia torreyi is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Collinsia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- 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
- Collinsia wrightii — Torrey's blue eyed mary
- Collinsia antonina — San antonio 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.