Downingia concolor var. brevior

Cuyamaca lake downingia, Cuyamaca Lake Downingia

Family: Campanulaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Cuyamaca lake downingia is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in central Peninsular Ranges at Cuyamaca Lake in lakeshore habitats at an elevation of 1,400 meters. Flowering from May to July, this delicate plant produces flowers that are typically blue or white with distinctive compact formations. Growing with slender stems reaching up to 30 centimeters tall, it forms small, dense clusters in moist lakeside environments. Its leaves are narrow and elongated, positioned alternately along the stem with fine, lance-shaped margins. The fruit is an elongated capsule 12 to 30 millimeters long that readily splits open, revealing translucent internal lines.

Habitat: Lakeshores

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: 1400 m

Bioregions: c PR (Cuyamaca Lake).

California counties: San Diego

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