Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum
Many-flowered woolly-star, many-flowered eriastrum
Photo: parent species Eriastrum pluriflorum · (c) velodrome, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum (Many-flowered woolly-star) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by many-flowered heads and deeply divided leaves distinctive.
Many-flowered woolly-star is a California native annual herb found in central Sierra Nevada Foothills, southern Sierra Nevada, San Joaquin Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, eastern South Coast Ranges, and Western Transverse Ranges in open hillsides, chaparral, grassland, and woodland at elevations of 100 to 1,830 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white to purple flowers with blue to lavender lobes, creating delicate salverform blossoms 12.8 to 20 millimeters long. Growing 2 to 40 centimeters tall with erect stems that are woolly and sometimes branched above the base, it develops a distinctive appearance. Its leaves are 9 to 30 millimeters long, covered in wool-like hair and featuring 3 to 11 thread-like lobes that give the plant a feathery texture. The fruit is a small capsule 4 to 5 millimeters long, containing tan seeds that are sometimes angular in shape.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 20 sympatric species; many-flowered heads and deeply divided leaves distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open hillsides or gentle slopes, disturbed areas, chaparral, grassland, woodland, mixed forest
Elevation: 100-1830 m
California counties: Fresno, Kern, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Kings, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Madera, Contra Costa, Stanislaus
Bloom period
Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Navarretia: Eriastrum has fluffy white woolly hairs; Navarretia has spine-tipped bracts and leaves without woolly hairs.; vs Gilia: Eriastrum flower clusters are densely woolly-hairy; Gilia flower clusters lack woolly hairs.; vs Loeseliastrum: Eriastrum has woolly tufted hairs and radial flowers; Loeseliastrum has simple hairs and bilateral flowers.; vs Langloisia: Eriastrum has woolly tufted white hairs; Langloisia has stiff branched bristly hairs.; vs Petalonyx: Eriastrum has opposite lobed leaves in Polemoniaceae; Petalonyx has alternate simple leaves in Loasaceae.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum native to California?
Yes. Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum bloom?
Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum grow?
Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum occurs in Fresno, Kern, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Kings, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and other counties, at elevations of 100-1830 m.
What plant family does Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum belong to?
Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Eriastrum.
What habitat does Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum grow in?
Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. pluriflorum grows in Open hillsides or gentle slopes, disturbed areas, chaparral, grassland, woodland, mixed forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. sherman-hoytae — Mrs. hoyt's woolly-star
- Eriastrum rosamondense — Rosamond woolly-star
- Eriastrum sapphirinum — Sapphire woolly-star
- Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. ambiguum — Short-bract woolly-star
- Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. dasyanthum — Shaggy woolly-star
- Eriastrum sapphirinum subsp. sapphirinum — Sapphire woolly-star
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.