Cryptantha pterocarya var. pterocarya

Winged-nut cryptantha

Family: Boraginaceae · Type: annual · Native

Winged-nut cryptantha is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi, western San Joaquin Valley, northern Transverse Ranges, eastern Peninsular Ranges, Great Basin, and Desert regions in sandy to gravelly soils at elevations of 200 to 2,630 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces small, delicate white flowers in slender, uncoiled clusters. Growing with generally slender green stems, the plant forms a sparse basal rosette with narrow leaves. Its leaves are loosely arranged, with basal leaves less prominently developed, creating a light and airy appearance. The distinctive fruit features asymmetrical nutlets 1.8 to 2.8 millimeters long, with a wide-ovoid calyx that expands as the seeds mature.

Habitat: Sandy to gravelly soils

Bloom period: Mar-Jul

Elevation: (100)200-2630 m

Bioregions: s SN, Teh, w SnJV, n TR, e PR, GB, D

California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo, Kern, Mono, Los Angeles, Tulare, Imperial, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Lassen, Ventura

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