Crucianella sp.
Cross-wort, Cross-Wort
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Family: Rubiaceae · Type: Annual · Not Native
Crucianella sp. (Cross-wort) is a non-native California annual in the Rubiaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Diodia: Crucianella has whorled leaves and terminal spikes; Diodia has opposite leaves and flowers at leaf joints.; vs Kelloggia: Crucianella has whorled leaves and dense spikes; Kelloggia has opposite leaves and open airy clusters.; vs Sherardia: Crucianella has cylindrical spikes and no sepals; Sherardia has head-like clusters with petal-like sepals.; vs Galium: Crucianella has dense bottlebrush spikes; Galium has open branched clusters with tiny flowers.; vs Coprosma: Crucianella is an annual herb with dense spikes; Coprosma is a woody shrub with berries.
Frequently asked questions
Is Crucianella sp. native to California?
No. Crucianella sp. is not native to California (recorded as not native).
What plant family does Crucianella sp. belong to?
Crucianella sp. is in the Rubiaceae family, genus Crucianella.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.