Cryptantha torreyana var. pumila
Dwarf cryptantha
Photo: parent species Cryptantha torreyana · (c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Cryptantha torreyana var. pumila (Dwarf cryptantha) is a native California annual in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by size and hairiness distinguish from var. torreyana.
Dwarf cryptantha is a California native annual found in northern central western California (excluding the central coast) in chaparral and foothill woodland at elevations of 150 to 1,280 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces white flowers with small, delicate petals. Growing 5 to 20 centimeters tall with sparse strigose stems that are dense and rough-hairy, it has a bristly, spreading growth habit. Its leaves are sparse and covered with stiff, spreading hairs, creating a textured appearance across the plant. The small nutlets are 1.3 to 1.5 millimeters long, with a style extending half to two-thirds the length of the fruit.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 20 sympatric species - size and hairiness distinguish from var. torreyana
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally chaparral, foothill woodland
Elevation: 150-1280 m
Bloom period
Cryptantha torreyana var. pumila blooms Apr-Jun.
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 torreyana var. pumila native to California?
Yes. Cryptantha torreyana var. pumila is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cryptantha torreyana var. pumila bloom?
Cryptantha torreyana var. pumila blooms Apr-Jun.
What plant family does Cryptantha torreyana var. pumila belong to?
Cryptantha torreyana var. pumila is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Cryptantha.
What habitat does Cryptantha torreyana var. pumila grow in?
Cryptantha torreyana var. pumila grows in Generally chaparral, foothill woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.