Cryptantha mohavensis

Mojave cryptantha

Family: Boraginaceae · Type: annual · Native

Mojave cryptantha is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada (eastern slope), Tehachapi, northern Transverse Ranges, and western Desert Mountains on open granitic slopes in pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 500 to 2,650 meters. Flowering from April to July, this delicate plant produces deep yellow flowers with prominent appendages about 4 to 7.5 millimeters in diameter. Growing 10 to 40 centimeters tall with branches throughout, the plant has rough-hairy stems with ascending to spreading hairs. Its leaves are linear to oblong, 0.5 to 4 centimeters long, densely covered with spreading bristles from bulbous bases. The plant produces 3 to 4 nutlets that are ovate, flattened, and grayish, with a shiny surface and sharp-angled margins.

Habitat: Open granitic-based gravelly or rocky slopes, generally pinyon/juniper woodland, occasionally creosote-bush scrub to open conifer forest

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 500-2650 m

Bioregions: s SNH (e slope), Teh, n TR, w DMoj.

California counties: Kern, Tulare, Inyo, San Bernardino, Mono, Santa Barbara

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