Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. sherman-hoytae
Mrs. hoyt's woolly-star
Photo: parent species Eriastrum pluriflorum · (c) velodrome, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. sherman-hoytae (Mrs. hoyt's woolly-star) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by distinctive bright orange-yellow throat.
Mrs. hoyt's woolly-star is a California native annual found in grasslands, arid shrublands, and savannahs of washes and floodplains at elevations of 400 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from May to June, this delicate plant produces flowers with a striking color palette of pale to sky-blue or lavender petals and a bright orange-yellow throat. Growing 3 to 33 centimeters tall with woolly stems that become less hairy with age, the plant develops pinnately lobed leaves with thin, linear segments. Its leaves range from 9 to 40 millimeters long, becoming less woolly as the plant matures, with 1 to 7 narrow, thread-like lobes. The flower's intricate structure features a purple or reddish to blue or white corolla with slender petals that extend notably from the woolly calyx.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 20 sympatric species - distinctive bright orange-yellow throat is diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Washes, floodplains, hillsides, old disturbed areas, in grassland, arid shrubland, savannah
Elevation: 400-1000 m
Bloom period
Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. sherman-hoytae blooms May-Jun.
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. sherman-hoytae native to California?
Yes. Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. sherman-hoytae is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. sherman-hoytae bloom?
Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. sherman-hoytae blooms May-Jun.
What plant family does Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. sherman-hoytae belong to?
Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. sherman-hoytae is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Eriastrum.
What habitat does Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. sherman-hoytae grow in?
Eriastrum pluriflorum subsp. sherman-hoytae grows in Washes, floodplains, hillsides, old disturbed areas, in grassland, arid shrubland, savannah.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- 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
- Eriastrum signatum — Spotted woolly-star
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.