Cryptantha rattanii

Rattan's cryptantha

Family: Boraginaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

Rattan's cryptantha is a California native annual found in northern South Coast Ranges in rocky, gravelly slopes, coastal scrub, chaparral, and foothill woodland at elevations of 150 to 780 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces small white flowers with yellow appendages about 3 to 6 millimeters in diameter. Growing 15 to 60 centimeters tall with slender stems covered in both appressed and spreading bristles, it develops sparse branches throughout its structure. Its few leaves are 1.5 to 6 centimeters long, linear to narrow-lanceolate, with margins lined by minute bristles that have bulbous bases. The fruit consists of 1 to 3 grayish nutlets about 1.5 to 2 millimeters long, densely covered in fine papillae with rounded margins.

Habitat: Rocky, gravelly slopes, often granitic, grassland, coastal scrub, chaparral, foothill woodland

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 150-780 m

Bioregions: n SCoR.

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