Downingia concolor var. concolor

Maroonspot calicoflower

Family: Campanulaceae · Type: annual · Native

Maroonspot calicoflower is a California native annual found in southern North Coast Ranges, southern Sacramento Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, and northern South Coast Ranges in vernal pools, mud flats, pond and lake margins, and roadside ditches at elevations below 550 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces delicate blue to white flowers with distinctive maroon spots. Growing with slender, branching stems up to 20 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters in seasonal wet areas. Its leaves are narrow and lance-shaped, alternating along the stem with lower leaves typically wider and more spread out. The fruit develops 30 to 50 millimeters long, remaining closed and gradually releasing seeds as the plant matures.

Habitat: Vernal pools, mud flats, pond and lake margins, roadside ditches

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: < 550 m

Bioregions: s NCoR, s ScV (Solano Co.), SnFrB, n SCoRI (n San Benito Co.).

California counties: Solano, Sonoma, Lake, Napa, Santa Clara, San Benito, Marin

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