Cryptantha nemaclada

Colusa cryptantha

Family: Boraginaceae · Type: annual · Native

Colusa cryptantha is a California native annual herb found in southern North Coast Ranges Interior, Tehama, eastern Central Western California, and northwestern Western Transverse Ranges in semibarren shale outcrops, chaparral, and foothill woodland at elevations of 200 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces tiny white flowers with minute appendages in small clusters. Growing with slender stems 10 to 35 centimeters tall that are rough-hairy and sparingly branched, it spreads in delicate, open formations. Its linear to oblong leaves, measuring 0.5 to 2.5 centimeters long, are ascending and covered in rough hairs that give the plant a textured appearance. The fruit consists of smooth, shiny nutlets 1.7 to 2 millimeters long, lance-shaped and subtly rounded.

Habitat: Semibarren shale outcrops, slopes, sandy, loose clay soils, chaparral, foothill woodland, occasionally juniper woodland

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: < 200-1600(2000) m

Bioregions: s NCoRI, Teh, e CW (exc CCo), nw WTR.

California counties: San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Kern, Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Benito, Monterey, San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Colusa, Fresno, Stanislaus, Merced, Napa

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