Downingia sp.
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Berger · licence
Family: Campanulaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Downingia sp. is a native California annual in the Campanulaceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
Yes. Downingia sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Downingia sp. belong to?
Downingia sp. is in the Campanulaceae family, genus Downingia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Downingia willamettensis — Cascade downingia
- Downingia yina — Cascade calicoflower
- Downingia bacigalupii — Bach's calicoflower
- Downingia bella — Hoover's calicoflower
- Downingia bicornuta — Bristled downingia
- Downingia bicornuta var. bicornuta — Bristled downingia
- Eastwoodiella californica — Swamp harebell
- Eastwoodiella sp. — Harebell
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.