Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba
Narrow-lobed cryptantha
Photo: parent species Cryptantha pterocarya · Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1
Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba (Narrow-lobed cryptantha) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by winged seeds diagnostic.
Narrow-lobed cryptantha is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native annual found in sandy regions of desert areas at elevations of 130 to 550 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces small white flowers with delicate, lance-shaped calyx lobes. Growing with stout stems 12 to 22 centimeters tall, often branching multiple times from the base, it forms a sparse basal rosette. Its leaves are sparse, with the plant characterized by asymmetrical nutlets that have distinctive wing-like margins on some seeds. The fruits develop intriguing winged nutlets with tubercled surfaces, some with rounded margins and others featuring flat lobed wings over half a millimeter wide.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 46 sympatric species - winged seeds diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy soils, stabilized sand dunes, mixed desert scrub
Elevation: 130-550 m
Outside California: southern Nevada, northwestern Arizona
Bloom period
Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba blooms Mar-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.1
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 var. stenoloba native to California?
Yes. Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba bloom?
Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba blooms Mar-May.
What plant family does Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba belong to?
Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Cryptantha.
Is Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba rare or endangered?
Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.1, state rank S1.
What habitat does Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba grow in?
Cryptantha pterocarya var. stenoloba grows in Sandy soils, stabilized sand dunes, mixed desert scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.