Collomia larsenii

Talus collomia

Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2

Talus collomia is a rare California native perennial herb ranked 2B.2 by CNPS, found in the northern eastern Sierra Nevada near Lassen, Magee peaks, and Little Mount Hoffman in volcanic talus habitat at elevations of 2,225 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces light to deep purple flowers with blue pollen in small clusters of 6 to 9 blossoms. Growing in dense tufts from slender rhizomes with short, branched stems less than 5 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters with glandular-hairy stems. Its leaves are intricately divided into narrow, linear-oblong lobes that emerge from elongated, clasping leaf stems, with each blade less than 2 centimeters long and covered in glandular hairs. The plant's distinctive blue pollen and compact growth form make it a unique inhabitant of high-elevation volcanic landscapes.

Habitat: Volcanic talus

Bloom period: Jun-Sep

Elevation: 2225-3500 m

Bioregions: CaRH (Lassen, Magee peaks, Little Mount Hoffman)

California counties: Shasta, Tehama, Siskiyou

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.