Downingia cuspidata

Toothed calicoflower

Family: Campanulaceae · Type: annual · Native

Toothed calicoflower is a California native annual found in northern California regions including the North Coast Ranges, Cascade Ranges, Sierra Nevada Foothills, Central Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Modoc Plateau in vernal pools, lake margins, and meadows at elevations below 1,700 meters. Flowering from March to June, this delicate plant produces distinctive blue to lavender flowers with white centers featuring two yellow spots near the throat, creating a complex and striking bloom pattern. Growing with slender stems to 30 to 40 centimeters tall, it develops a compact and intricate form typical of vernal pool wildflowers. Its leaves are narrow and elongated, supporting the delicate flower structure with a light, airy appearance. The fruit develops 20 to 72 millimeters long with translucent seed walls that feature distinctive spiral-twisted seeds.

Habitat: Vernal pools, lake margins, meadows

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 1700 m

Bioregions: NCoR, CaR, SNF, GV, SnFrB, SCoRO, PR, MP

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