Cryptantha pterocarya
Winged nut forget me not
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Cryptantha pterocarya (Winged nut forget me not) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by . Key features: prominently lobed-winged nutlets, variable seed morphology within fruits.
Winged nut forget-me-not is a California native annual found in rocky or disturbed areas at elevations of 5 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces small white flowers less than 3 millimeters in diameter with delicate, nearly transparent petals. Growing with slender green to grayish stems 5 to 50 centimeters tall, the plant develops sparse branching with ascending and spreading hairs. Its leaves are narrow and linear, 0.5 to 4 centimeters long, covered in stiff, strigose hairs with occasionally spreading margins. The distinctive fruit consists of 3 to 4 nutlets with lobed wing margins, ranging from gray to brown and featuring a glossy, lance-shaped surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 46 sympatric species. Key features: prominently lobed-winged nutlets, variable seed morphology within fruits
Habitat and range
California counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside, Kern, San Luis Obispo, Imperial, San Diego, Mono, Alameda, Lassen, Merced, Tulare, Ventura, Santa Barbara
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 pterocarya native to California?
Yes. Cryptantha pterocarya is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Cryptantha pterocarya grow?
Cryptantha pterocarya occurs in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside, Kern, San Luis Obispo, Imperial, San Diego and other counties.
What plant family does Cryptantha pterocarya belong to?
Cryptantha pterocarya is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Cryptantha.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Cryptantha pterocarya var. pterocarya — Winged-nut cryptantha
- Cryptantha pterocarya var. purpusii — Purpus' cryptantha
- Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba — Narrow-lobed cryptantha
- Cryptantha rattanii — Rattan's cryptantha
- Cryptantha recurvata — Curved-nut cryptantha
- Cryptantha rostellata — Red-stemmed cryptantha
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.