Cryptantha clevelandii var. florosa

Coastal cryptantha

Family: Boraginaceae · Type: annual · Native

Coastal cryptantha is a California native annual found in the Tehama, Central Western, northern South Coast, Channel Islands, Western Transverse Ranges, southern San Gabriel Mountains, and eastern Peninsular Ranges in sandy or rocky coastal scrub, chaparral, and foothill woodland at elevations from sea level to 2,070 meters. Flowering from March to June, this delicate plant produces small white flowers with yellow appendages in tight clusters. Growing with slender stems up to 20 centimeters tall, it forms spreading or ascending plants with fine, bristly character. Its leaves are appressed-hairy, creating a soft, textured appearance across the plant's surface. The fruit consists of small nutlets, typically three or four, nestled within a bristly, spreading calyx.

Habitat: Common; sandy or rocky soils, sedimentary based substrates, stabilized sand deposits, chaparral, coastal scrub, foothill woodland

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: 0-2070 m

Bioregions: Teh, CW, n SCo, ChI, WTR, s SnGb, e PR

California counties: Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Orange, Ventura, Marin, Santa Cruz, Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Napa

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