Cryptantha spithamaea
Tuolumne cryptantha
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Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3
Cryptantha spithamaea (Tuolumne cryptantha) is a native California annual in the Boraginaceae family.
Tuolumne cryptantha is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native annual found in northern and central Sierra Nevada Foothills in open, semi-barren sites, gravelly slopes, and serpentine habitats at elevations of 270 to 760 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces tiny white flowers with yellow appendages in small clusters. Growing with ascending branches 8 to 20 centimeters tall, it has densely soft, appressed hairy stems that create a delicate, bristly appearance. Its linear to oblong leaves range from 0.8 to 2.5 centimeters long, occasionally with ascending or spreading bristles that can have bulbous bases. The fruit consists of smooth, shiny nutlets 1.6 to 2 millimeters long, with a distinctive triangular gap at the base.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated - serpentine endemic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, semi-barren sites, gravelly slopes, ephemeral creek beds, serpentine endemic, chaparral, foothill woodland
Elevation: 270-760 m
California counties: Mariposa, Tuolumne
Bloom period
Cryptantha spithamaea blooms Apr-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.3
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 spithamaea native to California?
Yes. Cryptantha spithamaea is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cryptantha spithamaea bloom?
Cryptantha spithamaea blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Cryptantha spithamaea grow?
Cryptantha spithamaea occurs in Mariposa, Tuolumne, at elevations of 270-760 m.
What plant family does Cryptantha spithamaea belong to?
Cryptantha spithamaea is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Cryptantha.
Is Cryptantha spithamaea rare or endangered?
Cryptantha spithamaea carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.3, state rank S2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.