Cryptantha maritima var. pilosa

Tufted haired cryptantha

Family: Boraginaceae · Type: annual · Native

Tufted haired cryptantha is a California native annual found in desert regions on alluvial and rocky slopes, desert washes, and sandy to gravelly soils at elevations below 1,400 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces small white flowers densely covered with fine white hairs along the calyx margins. Growing with delicate, upright stems reaching 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms distinctive tufted clusters in arid landscapes. Its leaves are narrow and elongated, often clustered at the base of the plant with a rough, slightly bristly texture. The plant is characterized by its densely hairy calyx, with white hairs typically one millimeter or longer, giving it a soft, silvery appearance in its desert habitat.

Habitat: Common, widespread in allvial or rocky slopes and bluffs, desert wash; sandy to gravelly, occasionally limestone or volcanic soils

Bloom period: Feb-May

Elevation: < 1400 m

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