Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi
Torrey's blue eyed mary
(c) Brian Finzel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi (Torrey's blue eyed mary) is a native California herb in the Plantaginaceae family, recognized by leaf length-to-width ratio >6x diagnostic.
Torrey's blue eyed mary is a California native annual found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in conifer forest, often in sandy, granitic soil at elevations of 1,000 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from May to August, this delicate plant produces blue and white flowers about 6 to 9 millimeters long with distinctive upper lip lobes that have subtle projections bulging slightly away from the throat. Growing with slender stems, it develops elongated leaves that are notably narrow, being more than six times longer than wide. Its linear leaves provide a fine, delicate texture to the plant's overall structure. In its granitic mountain habitat, Torrey's blue eyed mary creates small, elegant displays of blue and white blossoms among the conifer understory.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species; leaf length-to-width ratio >6x diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Conifer forest, often in sandy, granitic soil
Elevation: 1000-3000 m
California counties: El Dorado, Fresno, Alpine, Nevada, Los Angeles, Kern, Plumas, Tulare, Tuolumne, Mendocino, Lassen, Mariposa, Amador, Placer, Mono, Calaveras, Madera, Shasta, Modoc, Sierra, Humboldt, Del Norte, Siskiyou
Outside California: western Nevada (SN)
Bloom period
Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi blooms May-Aug.
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 var. torreyi native to California?
Yes. Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi bloom?
Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi grow?
Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi occurs in El Dorado, Fresno, Alpine, Nevada, Los Angeles, Kern, Plumas, Tulare and other counties, at elevations of 1000-3000 m.
What plant family does Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi belong to?
Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Collinsia.
What habitat does Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi grow in?
Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi grows in Conifer forest, often in sandy, granitic soil.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- 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
- Collinsia bartsiifolia — White blue eyed mary
- Collinsia bartsiifolia var. bartsiifolia — White blue eyed mary
- Cymbalaria muralis — Kenilworth ivy
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.