Cryptantha torreyana var. torreyana

Northern cryptantha

Family: Boraginaceae · Type: annual · Native

Northern cryptantha is a California native annual found in northwestern California (excluding North Coast), the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Great Basin in slopes, disturbed soils, conifer forest, and occasionally chaparral or woodland at elevations of 100 to 2,650 meters. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces small white flowers in clusters with delicate, narrow petals. Growing 15 to 40 centimeters tall with stems covered in dense strigose and sparse spreading rough hairs, it has a slender, upright form. Its leaves are narrow and elongated, with a textured surface that contributes to the plant's distinctive rough appearance. The fruit consists of small nutlets 1.7 to 2.2 millimeters long, with a style extending two-thirds to the full length of the nutlet.

Habitat: Slopes, disturbed soils, generally conifer forest, occasionally chaparral, woodland

Bloom period: Apr-Aug

Elevation: 100-2650 m

Bioregions: NW (exc NCo), CaR, SN, GB

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