Collomia linearis
Narrow-leaf mountain trumpet, Narrow-Leaf Mountain Trumpet
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Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Collomia linearis (Narrow-leaf mountain trumpet) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by narrow linear leaves and included anthers.
Narrow-leaf mountain trumpet is a California native annual found in the Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, and Great Basin in open areas at elevations of 600 to 3,650 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces white to pink flowers in clusters of 7 to 20 blooms. Growing with erect stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, sometimes branching above with internodes that have reflexed short white hairs. Its leaves range from lanceolate to linear, with basal leaves sometimes toothed and lower cauline leaves slightly glandular. The delicate white to pink flowers have corollas 8 to 15 millimeters long, with filaments attached at multiple levels and white pollen.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; diagnostic narrow linear leaves and included anthers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open areas
Elevation: 600-3650 m
California counties: Alpine, Santa Barbara, Tulare, San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono, Plumas, Shasta, Modoc, Madera, Butte, Tuolumne, Fresno, Los Angeles, El Dorado, Nevada, Mariposa, Sierra, Amador, Lassen, Placer, Siskiyou, Trinity
Outside California: to Alaska, eastern North America, Arizona, naturalized elsewhere
Bloom period
Collomia linearis blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Gilia: Collomia has entire lanceolate leaves and flowers in leafy-bracted terminal heads; Gilia has pinnately lobed or dissected basal leaves and more open inflorescences.; vs Navarretia: Collomia has soft, entire leaves and unarmed bracts; Navarretia (pincushion) has spine-tipped, often pinnately spiny bracts and prickly heads.; vs Allophyllum: Collomia leaves are entire and herbage is not skunky; Allophyllum has lobed to pinnatifid leaves and a skunk-like odor with glandular herbage.; vs Leptosiphon: Collomia has undivided lanceolate leaves; Leptosiphon and Linanthus have palmately dissected, needle-like, finger-whorled leaf lobes.; vs Microsteris: Collomia has funnel-shaped flowers in leafy terminal clusters; Microsteris is a tiny annual with small pink-and-yellow salverform flowers in the leaf axils.
Frequently asked questions
Is Collomia linearis native to California?
Yes. Collomia linearis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Collomia linearis bloom?
Collomia linearis blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Collomia linearis grow?
Collomia linearis occurs in Alpine, Santa Barbara, Tulare, San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono, Plumas, Shasta and other counties, at elevations of 600-3650 m.
What plant family does Collomia linearis belong to?
Collomia linearis is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Collomia.
What habitat does Collomia linearis grow in?
Collomia linearis grows in Open areas.
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.