Collomia tenella
Slender collomia
(c) Nolan Exe, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nolan Exe · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Collomia tenella (Slender collomia) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by small solitary flowers and highly branched habit.
Slender collomia is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native annual found in the Warner Mountains in dry open areas, often in sagebrush at elevations of 1,700 to 2,600 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white to lavender flowers in small clusters with delicate translucent glandular-hairy stems. Growing with multiple branches spreading from near the base to the tip, it reaches heights typical of delicate annual wildflowers. Its leaves are narrow and linear to lanceolate, glandular and entire, creating a delicate appearance across the plant's structure. The small white and lavender flowers emerge in axillary and terminal clusters, with each flower displaying a short 3 to 4 millimeter calyx and a slender corolla.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; diagnostic small solitary flowers and highly branched habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry open areas, often in sagebrush
Elevation: 1700-2600 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Wyoming, Utah
Bloom period
Collomia tenella blooms May-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.2
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 tenella native to California?
Yes. Collomia tenella is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Collomia tenella bloom?
Collomia tenella blooms May-Jul.
What plant family does Collomia tenella belong to?
Collomia tenella is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Collomia.
Is Collomia tenella rare or endangered?
Collomia tenella carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.2, state rank S1.
What habitat does Collomia tenella grow in?
Collomia tenella grows in dry open areas, often in sagebrush.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Collomia tinctoria — Staining collomia
- Collomia tracyi — Tracy's collomia
- Collomia diversifolia — Serpentine collomia
- Collomia grandiflora — Large-flowered collomia
- Collomia heterophylla — Variable-leaf collomia
- Collomia larsenii — Talus collomia
- Eriastrum abramsii — Abrams' woolly-star
- Eriastrum brandegeeae — Brandegee's eriastrum
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.