Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii
Jones's cryptantha
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Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii (Jones's cryptantha) is a native California annual in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by tall stature, branching pattern, and small tubercled nutlets.
Jones's cryptantha is a California native annual found in the North Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada Foothills, Tehachapi, eastern Sacramento Valley, Central Western, southwestern California, and desert regions in rocky, gravelly coastal scrub, chaparral, and foothill woodland habitats at elevations below 2,000 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces pale yellow to white flowers with early-deciduous petals. Growing up to one meter tall with a central stem and many short, stiffly angled branches, it is densely covered in strigose and spreading rough hairs. Its numerous leaves become reduced toward the plant's upper portions, densely covered in soft and spreading rough hairs. The fruit consists of small, approximately brown nutlets with coarse tubercles, each measuring 1.1 to 1.3 millimeters with an acute tip.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 40 sympatric species; tall stature, branching pattern, and small tubercled nutlets
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky, gravelly soils, coastal scrub, chaparral, foothill woodland
Elevation: < 2000 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Riverside, Marin, San Diego, San Bernardino, Fresno, Mariposa, Ventura, Orange, Tulare, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, San Benito, Sonoma, Kern, Inyo, Mendocino, Tehama, Monterey, Alpine, Santa Clara, Glenn, Siskiyou, Trinity, San Luis Obispo, Imperial, Napa, Yolo, Lake
Outside California: west-central Arizona, Baja California
Bloom period
Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Plagiobothrys: Seeds have a groove down the inner face, not a raised ridge like Plagiobothrys.; vs Johnstonella: Cryptantha nutlets have grooves; Johnstonella nutlets lack distinct grooves on inner face.; vs Eremocarya: Cryptantha has grooved nutlets; Eremocarya nutlets are smooth without grooves.; vs Phacelia: Cryptantha has coiled flower clusters; Phacelia flowers are in looser, more open arrangements.; vs Pectocarya: Seeds lack the comb-like marginal barbs that give Pectocarya its combseed name.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii native to California?
Yes. Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii bloom?
Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii grow?
Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii occurs in Los Angeles, Riverside, Marin, San Diego, San Bernardino, Fresno, Mariposa, Ventura and other counties, at elevations of < 2000 m.
What plant family does Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii belong to?
Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Cryptantha.
What habitat does Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii grow in?
Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii grows in Rocky, gravelly soils, coastal scrub, chaparral, foothill woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.