Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima
Folded calicoflower
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Family: Campanulaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima (Folded calicoflower) is a native California herb in the Campanulaceae family, recognized by backward-projecting horn and ring-curled petal tips.
Folded calicoflower is a California native annual found in northern Sierra Nevada foothills, Sacramento Valley, and northern San Joaquin Valley in vernal pools and roadside ditches at elevations near 150 meters. Flowering from April to May, this delicate plant produces blue and white flowers with distinctive curled upper corolla lobes that bend backward into an elegant ring. Growing as a small, slender annual with fine, thread-like stems, it reaches heights of just a few centimeters above the wet ground. Its leaves are narrow and sparse, blending subtly with the surrounding grassy or muddy habitat. The flower's intricate blue and white coloration, with its uniquely recurved upper lobes, makes this tiny calicoflower a charming hidden treasure of seasonal wetlands.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 12 sympatric species; key features are backward-projecting horn and ring-curled petal tips
Habitat and range
Habitat: Vernal pools, roadside ditches
Elevation: < +- 150 m
California counties: Merced, Placer, Yolo, Solano, Butte, Tehama, Glenn, Colusa, Yuba, San Joaquin, Sacramento, Stanislaus, Mariposa, Sutter, Calaveras, Shasta
Bloom period
Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima blooms Apr-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Porterella: Downingia flowers lack yellow ridges; Porterella has two distinctive yellow ridges on the lower lip.; vs Nemacladus: Downingia has showy blue flowers sitting on stem; Nemacladus has threadlike flowers on long stalks.; vs Legenere: Downingia has blue two-lipped flowers; Legenere has small white flowers with nearly equal petals.; vs Lobelia: Downingia is a vernal pool annual; Lobelia is perennial with spherical seed pods.; vs Howellia: Downingia flowers have no stalk; Howellia has short but visible flower stalks 1-8mm long.
Frequently asked questions
Is Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima native to California?
Yes. Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima bloom?
Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima grow?
Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima occurs in Merced, Placer, Yolo, Solano, Butte, Tehama, Glenn, Colusa and other counties, at elevations of < +- 150 m.
What plant family does Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima belong to?
Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima is in the Campanulaceae family, genus Downingia.
What habitat does Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima grow in?
Downingia ornatissima var. ornatissima grows in Vernal pools, roadside ditches.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.